Saddled Up 4 Murder (A Sophie Kimball Mystery #9)

Author:    J.C. Eaton

Genre:     Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781954717732

Beyond the Page Publishing

206 Pages

$13.99; $4.99 Amazon

March 15, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spring is in the air as Sun City West gears up for its annual Bye Bye Birdie festivities, when residents bid a fond farewell to the snowbirds and happily reclaim the town for themselves.  But planning comes to a screeching halt when the town curmudgeon plummets to her death from the library bell tower and sheriff's deputies suspect foul play.  With the celebration on hold -- and Phee's mother worried that she won't get her moment in the spotlight on a local TV show slated to cover the event -- Phee is thrust into the role of sleuth once again to find the killer.

As Phee soon discovers, there's no love lost between the town and the unfortunate victim, and with the clock ticking and virtually everyone a potential suspect, she's got her work cut out for her.  Then a passel of horseflesh goes missing, and Phee starts to think the two crimes might be connected.  With the town on edge and high noon approaching, she'll have to wrangle with a band of daring desperados and lasso a lawbreaker who's dead set on sending her to boot hill...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sophie "Phee" Kimball works as a bookkeeper for a private investigation firm near Sun City, Arizona.  She's also engaged to one of the private investigators, Marshall Gregory, and just wants to have a quiet life with him.  Unfortunately, that's never going to happen.  Her mother Harriet lives in Sun City West, a retirement community for active seniors -- or, in Harriet's case, seniors with overactive imaginations.  Every time something occurs, Harriet's sure she or one of her friends is going to be either a suspect or murdered in their beds.

When a local woman named Billie, or the deli-witch, as Harriet and her friends call her, is found at the bottom of the bell tower in the library, and Harriet wants Phee to ask her boss to investigate.  But both he and Marshall are on the trail of local horse thieves, and can't be located half of the time due to spotty cell phone signals.  That, of course, only leaves Phee, who dreads once again even agreeing to help. 

Harriet is afraid if the case isn't solved, then she'll lose her chance to be on television (long story) and so Phee is suckered in once more.  What results is another hilarious episode in A Day In the Life of Phee and Her Hysterical Mother.  Its' fun, feisty, over-the-top, and one of the most humorous books I've read in awhile.

Phee, of course, has her thoughts given only to us, the reader, and they are worth reading the book alone.  We follow along as she tries to rein Harriet and her friends in, something that is never going to happen, and she's on the trail of a killer once more.  But when she starts questioning people, there isn't a single one who has anything good to say about her, which makes Phee's job more difficult.

Toward the end she has to ask for help from someone she never thought she'd need to -- and when Harriet and this person get together the results are truly a hoot.  Oh, yes, let's not forget Harriet's Chiweenie, Streetman -- in all his glory as an amorous pup out to make a conquest and strutting his stuff while making Phee crazy. 

When Phee discovers that what she's chasing and what Marshall is chasing might be connected (no surprise there; it's in the blurb) the climax comes together in so many ways that the entire thing has another funny scene that no one could have seen coming.

I have read every book in this series, and each one is more delightful than the last.  This one is no different, and I eagerly await the next in the series.  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/Saddled-Up-Murder-Kimball-Mystery/dp/1954717733/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4579122913

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

The Last Goodnight

Author:    Kat Martin

Genre:     Romantic Thriller

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496736796

Kensington Publishing

322 Pages

$15.69; $9.06 Amazon

October 26, 2021

⭐

When Kade Logan said goodbye to his estranged wife eight years ago, he never thought it would be the last time he saw her alive.  Now her car has been hauled out of a nearby lake and Kade is determined to track down the man who murdered her.  Enter Eleanor Bowman, a talented private investigator who's about to stir up a hornet's nest on his Colorado ranch.

With old scandals still buzzing about his late wife's many affairs and new violence erupting, Kade is faced with the discovery of another beautiful woman's body.  Are the two killings linked?  Who is the man who seduced, then murdered both victims?  Ellie believes they are dangerously close to the truth.

From corporate Denver high-rises to posh Vail mansions, Kade and Ellie sense the killer is closing in again, and this time Ellie is the target.  Kade must risk everything to save the woman he's coming to love -- before she becomes the next one to die...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When I read, it is for many reasons -- to escape reality, to be in another world, to read a story that will stay with me, or just to be entertained for a few hours.  I want to laugh, cry, feel the emotions the characters do -- not all in one book of course, but those are just a few of the reasons.

I especially want to be entertained.  I love mysteries; they are my favorite getaway.  I especially like Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Erle Stanley Gardner -- and many modern day writers as well.  But these three I mention because they could weave a mystery like no other, all without sex or foul language -- which is something this author has obviously not been able to do.  Therefore, it isn't a well-done mystery at all.  If you need sex or foul language to sell a book, then there is something missing.

The entire book can be summed up in two sentences of the author's:  "After eight years, Sullivan wasn't worried about being linked to a murder investigation.  He just wanted to get laid."  And there you have the book and its basis.  

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but it did not influence my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Goodnight-Blood-Ties-Logans-ebook/dp/B08XWH62CP/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4577316933

More on Kat Martin's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/kat-martin/

Three Shots to the Wind (A Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery #3)

Author:    Sherry Harris

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496734365

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$8.99; $6.99 Amazon

March 29, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Saloon owner Chloe Jackson appears to have a secret admirer.  She's pouring drinks at the Sea Glass Saloon in Emerald Cove when an airplane flies by above the beach with a banner reading I LOVE YOU CHLOE JACKSON.  She immediately rules out Rip Barnett.  They are in the early stages of dating and no one has said the L word.  Then a bouquet of lilacs -- her favorite flower -- is delivered to the bar, followed by an expensive bottle of her favorite sparkling wine.  It couldn't be...

Sure enough, her ex-fiancé from Chicago has flown down to Florida for an accountants' convention.  But is he trying to mix business with pleasure and win her back?  Unfortunately he's not in a hotel conference room, he's floating facedown in the lake next to her house, clutching a photo of Chloe.  Who murders an accountant on a business trip -- it just doesn't add up.  When Rip becomes the prime suspect, Chloe is determined to find the secret murderer.  But if she isn't careful, it may be closing time and lights out for her...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Chloe Jackson has given up her life as a librarian back in Chicago and moved to Emerald Cove, Florida.  It's because of the will her late best friend Boone left, giving her all his worldly goods and part ownership in the bar he owned with his grandmother, Vivi.  Her new romance with firefighter Rip Barnett is also starting to heat up, and she's happy at last.

But one morning while at the bar, there's a commotion and her friend Joaquin tells her to come outside.  Above them is a plane with a banner reading 'I LOVE YOU CHLOE JACKSON'; and soon after she receives a huge bouquet of her favorite flowers and a magnum of her favorite sparkling wine.  At first stumped that anyone would know about the flowers and the wine, she soon realizes that it might just be her ex-fiancé, Perry.

But then things go from bad to worse -- floating in the lake near her house is Perry's body -- and he's clutching a photo of her.  Stunned and horrified, Chloe has no idea who would want to kill nice, boring Perry.  But since there's a video of Perry and Rip having an altercation, Biffle has to list Rip and his number one suspect.  Chloe isn't having it, and decides to do some investigating on her own.

Then there are the surprises that come Chloe's way -- and I won't list them here because you need to read the book -- but it puts a wrench in Chloe's plans and brings frustration because of Vivi's -- yet Chloe carries on, determined to prove Rip innocent.

What follows is an intriguing tale of Chloe trying her best to find and eliminate suspects -- some who have good reason to want Perry dead -- surprises that aren't expected, and a few humorous situations that lighten the book quite a bit.  What Chloe also has is plenty of motives that could spur people to kill, including lies, secrets, and jealousy -- but what Chloe also discovers is that sometimes those closest to us can be someone we don't know at all..

In the end, I found the climax interesting and unusual, not to mention a bit unexpected; and it gives the book the final punch it needs to carry through.  Ms. Harris gives us a tale that keeps us reading throughout, and we learn more about Chloe and her past, which is a good thing, as it makes her more real than before.  I enjoyed this book immensely and await the next in the series (hopefully soon).  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/Three-Shots-Jackson-Saloon-Mystery/dp/149673436X/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4573268803

More on Sherry Harris's Books:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4573268803

A Time to Swill (A Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery #2)

Author:    Sherry Harris

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781496723048

Kensington Publishing

207 Pages

$7.69; $6.99 Amazon

July 27, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chloe loves her new life pouring beers and mixing cocktails at the Sea Glass Saloon in the Florida Panhandle town of Emerald Cove.  But on the job, the only exercise she gets is walking from one end of the bar to the other, so in the mornings she loves to run on the beach.  On this morning's foggy run, she spots a sailboat washed up on a sandbar.  Hearing a cry, she climbs aboard the beached vessel to investigate and finds not only a mewling kitten -- but a human skeleton in the cabin.

The skeleton is tied back to Chloe's friend Ralph, whose wife disappeared on a sailboat with three other people twelve years ago.  Believing his wife was lost as sea, Ralph remarried.  Now he finds himself a murder suspect.  Chloe is determined to find out who's been up to some skullduggery, but her sleuthing will lead her into some rough waters and some bone-chilling revelations...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Chloe Jackson moved from Chicago to Emerald Cove, Florida after her best friend Boone died in Afghanistan and left her everything -- which includes his home, boat, and 25% in the bar his grandmother Vivi owns.  After coming to a sort of truce with Vivi, Chloe is settling into her new life.  But while jogging on a foggy morning she hears what she thinks is a baby crying on a boat that seems to be stuck on a sandbar.  Swimming out to the boat, she finds it's not a child, but a cat, and while exploring she also finds a skeleton aboard.  When the boat catches fire, she dives off with the cat, hoping to make it to shore.  But a man with a boat rescues her, returns her to shore and disappears.

To make matters worse, Boone's father returns -- and claims he has a new will of Boone's that leaves him everything, including being half-owner of the bar.  But everyone knows Boone would never do that, but the problem lies in trying to find out proof, which Chloe intends to do.

Chloe finds herself in another murder this time -- but discovers that it might be one from long ago.  When she gives the police a ring she also discovered before bailing, she finds that it belonged to her friend Ralph's late wife -- and he might be a suspect.  Now she's looking for the good Samaritan that saved her, and the person who might have killed Ralph's wife.  Could they be one and the same?  Or is something else afoot?  And is someone trying to make sure she doesn't find anything else out?

This is the second book in the series and it is quite as good as the first.  Chloe is coming to love her new life, and Vivi is changing in her feelings toward Chloe.  There's also a hint of change in the air for Chloe with a new relationship, but it doesn't get in way of the mystery.  We also have the enigmatic Ann Williams around again, and Joaquin, of course; all of these people make for a very interesting book.

I loved the mystery -- which was more a mystery within one; and there's a subplot that is quite intriguing as well.  Watching Chloe try to navigate her new life and the things going on around her are worth the read; and the reappearance of Boone's father Steven brings angst to the group at the Sea Glass.  Vivi can't figure out a way to get rid of him, but Chloe is determined to do so.

But it's the backstory that is the most interesting -- of what went on twelve years ago and how it ties into things that are occurring today.  It's suspenseful and fun, and when the ending comes it's all worth the wait.  I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next in the series.  Recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Swill-Chloe-Jackson-Saloon-Myster-ebook/dp/B08MBFK131/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4569384294

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

Wedding Bell Blues (A Tourist Trap Mystery Book 13)

Author:    Lynn Cahoon

Genre:     Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781516111084

Lyrical Underground Publishing

208 Pages

$15.95; $7.19 Amazon

March 1, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the California coastal town of South Cove, Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, becomes more engaged in sleuthing than wedding preparations when there's a murder in a dress shop.

Jill couldn't love police chief Greg King more -- so why does that engagement ring still feel funny on her finger?  At least she'll have a chance to show it off this Saturday at their engagement party.  Just in time for the event, a new dress shop has opened in town, Exquisite Gowns for You, specializing in designer wedding gowns and other custom-fit dresses.

But Jill's excitement turns to shock when she comes by to pick up her dress for the party and discovers a dead body in the shop.  New owner Harper Sanchez is behaving strangely and becoming more mysterious than anyone expected.  Despite Greg's warnings to leave the case to him, Jill can't help looking into the murder.  Somebody in South Cove is dressed to kill -- and if Jill's not careful, she may not live to wear her wedding gown...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, is finally engaged to longtime love Greg King, chief of police in South Cove, California.  While they haven't yet set a wedding date, they are having their engagement party this coming Saturday.  As a gift to Jill, her aunt Jackie has bought a custom-made gown for her to wear to the party, courtesy of new business Exquisite Gowns for You, owned by Harper Sanchez.  But when Jill goes to pick up her gown, she finds Harper dead in the back of the shop...or at least she thinks it's Harper at first.  But when the body is identified as someone else, there's a new mystery to be solved, and Greg wants her to stay out of it.

Jill plans to do so, until she starts to find things that don't make sense -- like Harper not remembering things she recently did, or the appearance of the dead woman's husband in town.  First it looks like a random killer, but then someone in town is accused of the crime, and even Jill knows they didn't do it.  So what is going on?  And where is a killer going to hide in South Cove?  Just as Jill thinks she can't figure it out, some secrets are spilled like blood from a killer's knife...

This is the thirteenth in the series, and I have read every one of them.  While I am glad to see that Jill and Greg are engaged, I am also glad to have found a great new mystery to delve into.  I know that when I open the pages of Ms. Cahoon's books, I am able to step inside easily and join the action, being a visitor to this town, albeit one who isn't a part of the direct action.

Unfortunately, with Jill being the one to find the body, she's involved even though Greg doesn't want her to be.  And she has a lot on her plate right now -- the engagement party, of course, but also the 24-hour readathon for children that her employee Deek has put together (and I do love Deek so hope to see him stay there for awhile).  With kids and some of the parents staying overnight at the store, Jill has to make sure that there are enough employees and food to keep everyone happy.  She even has volunteers to make sure the readathon is successful.  

But she can't get the murder out of her mind, nor the fact that Harper has been acting strangely since it occurred.  Or that Harper's boyfriend Colton seems to be pulling her strings and telling her what to say and what not to say.  She knows something is being kept secret, but she can't put all the pieces together.  Greg is being more tight-lipped about the murder than usual, and that also sparks her curiosity, but she's not going to say anything.

It's an interesting conundrum that Jill has, and it's more than intriguing to watch her sift through the suspects and the clues and try to come up with the answers.  Especially since they are well-hidden, and not even Toby, a cop and part-time employee at Coffee, Books, and More will spill the beans.  

The tale is puzzling and enjoyable, and a couple of times I thought I might have the answer, but I didn't, and that made it even more pleasurable as I love being surprised.  And surprised I was with the ending, which was put together splendidly, leaving the reader with answers that were unexpected, but altogether perfect.  It was a wonderful tale of suspense, loss, deceit, and secrets that this reader appreciated and enjoyed.

I truly loved reading this book and hope to see the next in the series soon.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Bell-Blues-Tourist-Mystery/dp/1516111087/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4565154899

More on Lynn Cahoon's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/lynn-cahoon/

A Spirited Swindler (Midlife is Murder Series Book 1)

Author:    Clare Lockhart

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Edition

ISBN #:    9798403979047

Independently Published

220 Pages

$9.99; $4.99 Amazon

January 23, 2022

⭐⭐

Empty-nested and excited to start a new chapter in life, Quinn is almost ready to open her new lakeside café in the small town of Bookend Bay.

Everything is perfect until she realizes she's being followed.

Confronting the stranger sets Quinn on a course where her problems no longer revolve around selecting a feature scone.  She's suddenly questioning everything she believed about her marriage and her sanity.

Midlife isn't supposed to bring a change like this!

When police question her about a murder, Quinn quickly realizes she can't tell anyone but her best friend about the conniving, ghostly stranger who's stalking her.  No one would believe she's been talking to a dead person, and Quinn is barely coping with the truth herself.

Things go from bad to worse when the ghost makes her agenda clear -- an exchange of favors that could save or sink Quinn's café before she serves her first spiced latte.

The closer she gets to the truth, the more afraid she becomes of a horrible secret that could ruin her life.

Now, she can't help thinking some secrets should rest in peace.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Quinn Delaney is getting ready to open her new café, even though her husband Bryan was against the idea from the beginning.  She's excited to go with this new chapter in her life, along with going through the first stages of menopause.  When she's in front of her new building, she sees a woman watching her every move.  Finally, the woman confronts her, tells her that her name is Beverly, and that her husband is in trouble.

When Quinn learns that Beverly was recently murdered, she wonders if this was an imposter and sets about to find the truth.  But when she discovers that Beverly is a ghost, and wants very specific things from her -- and will give her in return information that proves her husband is innocent of the murder -- Quinn doesn't know how to handle it...until she talks with her best friend Toni, and together the two of them decide to figure it all out and save Bryan, and also Quinn's café, in the process.  But it isn't going to be easy, and she'll have to be careful so the police don't suspect a thing...

I really liked the premise of this book, and I really would have liked it more if I could get past all the problems.  Unfortunately, I couldn't.  I didn't like Beverly at all, and having her permeate pages of the book only irritated me.  She had no redeeming qualities, and I wish she'd just gone to the other side sooner than she did.

But that wasn't the only problem I saw coming, and I hate to put them forth, there's nothing else to be done about it.  So please only read the following if you've already read the book:  

1. Chelsea is marrying a man she's known for five months and her mother thinks eloping is a 'hoot?'
2. Her son doesn't love her enough to tell her he's getting married?  How inconsiderate is this person?  I have sons, and I'd be crushed if they didn't tell me.
3. Bryan's been married for 28 years and totally ignores that fact to decide to cheat on his wife?
4. The marriage has been in trouble but neither the wife nor husband thought to discuss it before it got that far?  They just went about their days and ignored what was going on?  Both of them are at fault.
5. Why should Quinn care about whether her husband was in trouble or not?  He obviously didn't care about her.  FYI, it shouldn't have affected her business unless this town is full of small-minded people.  There are persons who kill every day (unfortunately) and their spouses don't know it; you can't blame the spouse or ruin their business because of it (although right now I do wonder about people; this country has gone bonkers about someone having a difference of opinion).
6. Where was the police presence?  Were they even investigating the murder?  It seemed to me that Quinn was off their radar since they never re-interviewed her nor her husband, so it made no sense that she'd be worried about being a murder suspect.  The police only appeared at the end of the book.
7. A book that conveniently has the information Quinn needs?  Including all the letters spelled in order?  It would have made more sense to have the letters mixed up, and Quinn would have to put them in the proper order to read it.  This did not sound believable at all.
8. Her husband is moving to Korea (!?) but Quinn doesn't think to check the joint bank accounts to see if he's removed all the money?
9. What happened to the envelope with the 'generous offer?'  Who was it from? And:
10. Beverly was the most unlikable being I've ever read about.  I was getting more and more irritated every time she showed up.  She had no problem putting Quinn in danger as long as she got what she wanted.  She was horrible, and I didn't enjoy her presence at all.

Unfortunately, I notice details, and I couldn't get past these.  I read the book because I was given a copy from AXPBooks.Com, but I didn't care for it at all.  Sorry.

https://www.amazon.com/Spirited-Swindler-Paranormal-Mystery-Midlife-ebook/dp/B09R4JNR14/ref

Goodreads:    

Mining for Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery Book 3) th

Author:    Mary Angela

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0992TPJ24

Lyrical Press

275 Pages

$5.99 Amazon

April 5, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The South Dakota Gold Rush might be long over, but Zo Jones feels like she's hit the mother lode when she and her friends browse an estate sale, where a rare old book about the history of Spirit Canyon is causing quite a commotion.  In addition to local stories and secrets, the book may even contain the location of a famous stash of gold -- a treasure worth killing for.

Zo's friend Maynard Cline wins the bid on the book, to the chagrin of many interested parties, including the historical society and college history department.  But when Zo and Hattie head to Maynard's mansion to borrow the book for a library event, the only thing they find is Maynard -- at the bottom of the mountain.  The valuable book is gone.  Zo knows this must be murder because there's no way a germaphobe like Maynard would have voluntarily dived into a pile of dirt.  Now she'll have to dig into a new case, and go prospecting for a perpetrator...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Zo Jones and her friends Hattie the librarian and Julia Parker go to an estate sale, they come away with more than they expected.  Zo finds some items for her store, the Happy Camper, Hattie finds books she's enchanted with, and Julia...finds a house she knows must be hers.  She wants this house, and nothing will stop her from purchasing it.

But the most intriguing thing of the day is that Maynard Cline, a germaphobe who is a member of the Zodiac Club, a stargazing club that Zo and her friends belong to, bids on a rare book about the beginning of Spirit Canyon, home to these residents.  Unhappy with this win is Jeffrey Davis, head of the history department at the college, and others who think the book should have been given to them free of charge.

Since this is a historical document, Zo wants to see if there is information regarding her newfound own information of her mother.  Since Zo was adopted, she wants to know who her biological parents were, and this might be a first step.. Hattie wants to show it at the library, and Maynard agrees to lend it to her -- for one hour, and only if she's the only one who holds it.  Hattie agrees, and she and Zo head to Maynard's home for the book.  But when they arrive, they can't find Maynard -- at least not at first.  When they see his body at the bottom of the mountain, they know that Maynard wouldn't have jumped.  But was it an accident?  Zo doesn't believe so, especially when she sees one of Maynard's moccasins still on the mountain.  The only clue to his murder is the name "Merrigan" written on a piece of paper.  Could the police chief's family be involved?  Zo intends to find out, with or without chief Brady Merrigan's help...

This is the third book in the series, and I think it might just be my very favorite.  I have enjoyed all of the books thus far, but this one brings us closer to the characters, and I love every one of them.  George is actually learning to become an indoor cat (I hope for his sake) and Max and Zo are progressing in their relationship (I hope for their sake) and I want this series to continue (I hope for our sake).

Zo is intelligent, thoughtful, generous, fiercely loyal to her friends, and extremely capable.  She can run her own business, write a weekly column for the newspaper, and still manage to make time to relax.  She doesn't ask questions invasively nor accuse people of murder, and she can put clues together quickly.  I am pleased to see that what I have thought was occurring in previous books came to be, because it makes the series even more delightful than before (you will have to read this book to find out what I mean by that).

Zo knows the book contains not only the history of Spirit Canyon, but the settlers who first came to the area.  Some say that it contains the map for the hidden gold mine of Ezra Kind, who also came to the area -- and whose mine has never been found.  While they think this is the reason the book was stolen, would someone want it enough to kill for it?  Someone did, although the reason is still unknown.  There are plenty of suspects, and Zo is determined to sift through every one of them.

There is also another intrigue going on behind the scenes with Julia, and Zo's employee Harley is having her own troubles, to her consternation.  There are some funny scenes as well, which gives a break in the action.  But the murderer is still out there, and Brady isn't happy that Zo won't leave his investigation alone.  

The book was thoroughly entertaining, and the plot was done very well.  The author has made each book a pleasure to read, with each one getting better than the first.  When the murderer is revealed and the motive discovered, it shows us that you can never see into the mind of another person.  I look forward to the next in the series and wish I could delve into it now.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Mining-Murder-Happy-Camper-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0992TPJ24/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4556508417

More on Mary Angela's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/mary-angela/

Midnight Spells Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery #2)

Author:    Mary Angela

Genre:     Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781516110735

Lyrical Press Publishing

206 Pages

$14.99; $4.99 Amazon

July 13, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

To celebrate Halloween at The Happy Camper, Zo schedules a talk by a successful author and self-proclaimed witch Marianne Morgan.  Although Marianne's benign brand of witchcraft is more about feminine empowerment than black magic, her presence is still not welcomed by everyone.  Then on a midnight stroll home, Zo spots what seems to be a new Halloween decoration propped up outside the Happy Camper.  What she finds is not a mannequin but a dead Marianne, her lifeless body dressed in traditional witch's garb.  But why would someone send this good witch back to the spirit world permanently?

Soon Zo realizes that plenty of folks have motives for murdering Marianne.  What's worse, nosy TV newsman Justin Castle plans to broadcast a report associating Marianne's murder with the Happy Camper.  Zo calls on her partner in sleuthing, local forest ranger Max Harrington, to help her find the culprit before Justin's report airs.  Otherwise, Zo's business just might go bust.  But to catch this killer, Zo will have to risk much more than just her reputation...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Zo Jones owns the Happy Camper, a gift shop in Spirit Canyon, South Dakota, which is a big tourist spot for campers and hikers alike.  She's finally found her place in the world after being abandoned at the police station when she was just a baby.  It's nearing Halloween and she's promoting her shop by having a speech and a book signing by local author Marianne Morgan, who is a self-proclaimed witch.  But far from being a bad witch, Marianne promotes self-empowerment for women, and it's a big draw for the event.

However, it's not without its detractors, and several people aren't happy to see Marianne at all.  Yet the event is a success, and Zo is happy.   But her happiness soon fades when she returns to her shop (which she lives above) after a night out and sees what she thinks in a new decoration added by her employee, Harley.  But as Zo gets closer, she finds that it's a very dead Marianne, whom someone had placed a witch's hat on.  When she calls the police, she's worried that after the last time she was involved in a murder investigation, that people will stop coming to her shop and everything she's worked for will go down in flames.

So Zo, aided with the help of forest ranger Max Harrington, vows to find out who killed Marianne, because if she doesn't, local newsman Justin Castle will imply she had something to do with the murder, which in turn means the demise of her business as well as Marianne.  But since there are plenty of people who had a beef with the woman, it's not going to be easy, and she might be caught in a trap of murder herself...

This is the second book in the series and I must say that I quite enjoyed it as much as the first.  Ms. Angela has created an interesting character in Zo Jones, a woman who was abandoned as a baby and worked her way up to owning her own business by her sheer determination and willpower.  She's not willing to let it go now, and she's a strong character; one who doesn't do illegal things to find clues (which I find refreshing), and doesn't go around accusing everyone of murder (which has happened in other series).  

She's also beginning to find pieces of herself that might lead to finding her birth parents (although I will say no more about that) and learning to trust again and maybe find personal happiness herself.  I am also pleased to see that George is learning to become an indoor cat, which is much healthier and his life will definitely improve (sorry, but I believe cats should be kept indoors where they're safe from predators and large dogs).

I also like all the secondary characters in the series, and that's saying a lot.  I especially like that police chief Brady Merrigan is coming around and slowing becoming friends with Zo, in bits and pieces, as it were.  I absolutely abhor the 'evil nemesis' in books and don't think it's necessary to any book to tell a good tale.

When Zo starts looking as to who had motive and means to kill Marianne, she finds that Marianne had more enemies than she would have thought.  But when her friend Jules, also a self-proclaimed witch, wants to hold a séance at Zo's business -- where Marianne was last, it brings clues to the murder.  Then there are all the strange occurrences that can't be explained...

The only thing that bothered me was Justin's actions.  Some things he did were unethical, and couldn't be aired without Zo's consent, since she could sue the station because of the manner in which they were obtained, but that's all I will say about that.

All in all, a very good mystery, with a murderer that I didn't see coming.  The mind of a killer is deranged anyway, but it's always surprising that someone will go so far to keep secrets.  Again, I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to the next.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Spells-Murder-Camper-Mystery/dp/1516110730/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4554241563

More on Mary Angela's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/mary-angela/

Open for Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Mary Angela

Genre:     Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781516110728

Lyrical Press Publishing

207 Pages

$15.95; $7.19 Amazon

November 24, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's Memorial Day weekend in Spirit Canyon, and for Zo that means the return of summer shoppers.  It also means the return of her good friend Beth, who's moved back to the area to reopen her family's premier hotel, Spirit Canyon Lodge.  Beth and Zo spent many childhood summers there and Zo can't wait to reconnect and celebrate the Grand Opening.  But the festivities go from bad to worse when a power outage knocks out the lights -- and morning reveals a competitor's dead body found on the premises...

Soon enough, Beth is the prime suspect in the suspicious death.  Fortunately, Zo isn't afraid to put her investigative skills to work and prove her friend's innocence.  To start digging for information, she appeals to Max Harrington, a local Forest Ranger and unlikely ally.  Though they've argued about Happy Camper's tours, in this case they agree on one thing: Beth isn't a murderer.  Stranger things have happened than their collaboration.  After all, this is Spirit Canon.  But as the list of suspect grows, Zo will have to keep her guard up if she doesn't want to be the next lodge guest to check out...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Zo Jones has lived in Spirit Canyon, South Dakota for most of her life.  She owns a shop called Happy Camper, which is on the first floor of a house that she lives in.  She sells outdoor equipment, gifts, and rents outdoor equipment and gives hiking tours around the area, which is close to Lead and the Mount Rushmore monument.  After being shuffled from foster home to foster home, her life is content, and she's in a good place.  It's also about to become happier since her childhood friend Beth is moving back to Spirit Mountain -- she and her family have taken over the Spirit Canyon Lodge that was once owned by Beth's Aunt Lilly, and left to her.

But soon enough Beth's newfound happiness is clouded when a guest at the grand opening is found dead on her property.  The dead woman was the owner of a rival resort, and made an offer to Beth to buyout the lodge -- once that Beth very vocally refused.  With that argument as ammunition, the local sheriff, Brady Merriman, has Beth in his sight as the logical killer.  The motive?  $20,000 that was in Enid's possession before she was killed.  Now Zo is tapped by Beth and her mother Vi to find out who the murderer is before Beth loses everything she's just put forth.  Zo's unlikely ally is Forest Ranger Max Harrington, whom Zo has always been cool to, but is now decidedly warming up.  Together, they plan to find out the truth.  At least if Zo can stay away from Enid's killer herself...

This is the first in the series, and I wanted to give it a try.  I will tell you that at first I wasn't sure, since it seemed to start out slow.  So slow that I put it down several times, which isn't like me; usually I will read a book in one or two sittings.  But I tired of all the descriptions of Mount Rushmore's surrounding areas and those of Spirit Canyon; I wanted to get to the heart of the matter: the mystery.  (I will say that since I grew up in Minnesota, I have visited the famous monument and its surrounding area, and even though I was a preteen, I still remember the beauty.  But those winters are not something I ever want to experience again! Brrr!).

Once the book got started for me, I found it interesting enough to finish quickly.  There were plenty of subjects, and I even had my own ideas of who the killer was.  The guests were definitely on the shady side a bit, and it seemed everyone had no problem pointing the finger at Beth.  One thing I didn't care for was Brady Merriman.  I was hoping he wouldn't be the 'evil nemesis,' since I so tire of those; and I even found that $100 for eight miles over the speed limit ridiculous.  You wouldn't even get a ticket for that, maybe not even a warning.  Plus, saying something he learned of as stolen property wouldn't hold up in a court of law, although I am not going to say what it was...

I did like that Zo's sleuthing didn't end up doing something illegal and then having to figure a way to lie herself out of the situation.  She seemed smart, to an extent, but having George as an outdoor cat didn't make any sense since she stated that she got him at a shelter (which meant he had been indoors in a cage and wasn't feral); it was also cruel, as outdoor cats have a shorter life span than those kept indoors, especially in the area she lives in.  I hope that she figures out a way to keep him indoors completely.  I am rabid about this subject, and I won't apologize for it.

Other than that, I did like this book quite a bit.  The author is obviously talented and can relate a story that has clues in it, but not overtly.  They were there, and the conversations between the characters seemed relaxed and realistic.

Although I figured it out who the murderer was before Zo, I still wanted to know the reason why, and I thought it rather sad and a bit twisted, to say the least.  The climax was worth reading, and a bit surprising in one part.  However, the book was very good and I will continue to read this series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Open-Murder-Happy-Camper-Mystery/dp/1516110722/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4538434125

More on Mary Angela's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/mary-angela/

Best Recipes from the Farmer's Wife Cookbook (Over 250 Blue Ribbon Recipes)

Author:    Beverly Hudson, Kari Cornell, Melinda Keefe

Genre:     Cookbooks

Paperback

ISBN #:    9780760369395

Voyageur Press

240 Pages

$21.88 Amazon

January 25, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beloved by home cooks since the magazine was first published, the recipes resonate now more than ever as many of us -- from the countryside, city, and in between -- return from quick meals on the go to slow, scratch cooking, fresh and wholesome ingredients (often homegrown, self-made, or from the farmer's market), and the tradition of Sunday dinners and eating together with family and friends.

Best Recipes from the Farmer's Wife Cookbook brings together the most popular, easy-to-follow recipes and variations along with dozens of menus that originated in farm kitchens nationwide and appeared on the pages of the magazine over its publication around the start of the twentieth century.  This new edition is illustrated with color photographs and completely redesigned to appeal to a modern-day cook who wants to bring the warmth and family of the Farmer's Wife to their own kitchen.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

I have always made food from scratch, and have loved cooking since I was a child.  (I made my first cake at nine).  I still do, including canning and making my own sauces.  I just love the taste of homemade over processed foods.  I also love vintage cookbooks, and have found some wonderful recipes between their pages.

I would have loved to give this a five-star review, but there were things that bothered me.  Since I received this book in ebook form, it had some confusing pages.  Recipes were shown with two titles, and one recipe beneath the other, which, at first, made it confusing until I figured out what was going on.  Some recipes had added instructions in smaller type. 

Such as:  Listed Country Kitchen Salad; then Sloppy Joes on Toasted Buns below.  The first recipe is indeed Country Kitchen Salad, and then the ingredients for Sloppy Joes are listed directly below it.  Shouldn't each recipe have the title before the ingredients?  Not before the ingredients of the previous recipe?  It at first appeared that the Country Salad had no recipe, and the ingredients for the same was the ingredients for the Sloppy Joes...then, there was Chicken Salad and German Potato Salad, with the German Potato Salad ingredients listed directly under its name, and the chicken salad ingredients listed afterward...so you understand my questions there, I hope.

At any rate, after figuring that out, I began to enjoy the recipes.  I have been personally searching for a new recipe for baked beans (one that doesn't use canned pork and beans, which seems to be a main ingredient on the Internet) and this book has one that sounds delicious.  Yes, time-consuming, but worth it in the end.  I have found my new favorite baked bean recipe.

While you will find that the author has updated some of the recipes, they are easy to read and the ingredients are easy to procure in today's markets.  Aside from the initial confusion with the titles of the recipes (which is why I only gave it four stars -- and it may have just been an ebook format problem, but I don't know) this book is one that all home cooks should have, and I intend to purchase the hard copy for myself.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Recipes-Farmers-Wife-Cornell/dp/0760369399/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4541876150  

Live, Local, and Dead (A Vermont Radio Mystery)

Author:    Nikki Knight

Genre:     Mystery/Politics

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781643859453

Crooked Lane Books

304 Pages

$26.99; $13.99 Amazon

February 8, 2022

⭐

In a fit of anger, radio DJ Jaye Jordan blows a snowman's head off with a Revolutionary War-style musket.  But the corpse that stumbles out is all too human.  Jaye thought life would be quieter when she left New York City and bought a tiny Vermont radio station.  But now, Edwin Anger -- the ranting and raving radio talk show host who Jaye recently fired -- lies dead in the snow.  And the Edwin Anger fans who protested his dismissal are sure she killed him. 

To clear her name, Jaye must find the real killer, as if she doesn't have her hands full running the radio station.  DJing her all-request love song show, and shuffling tween daughter Ryan to and from school.  It doesn't make matters easier that the governor -- Jaye's old crush -- arrived on the scene before the musket smoke cleared.  Fortunately, Jaye has allies.  If you count the flatulent moose that lives in the transmitter shack, and Neptune, the giant gray cat that lives at the station.

If Jaye can turn the tables on the devious killer, she and the governor may get to make some sweet, sweet music together.  But if she can't, she'll be off the air...permanently.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Jaye Jordan moved to Vermont so that her daughter could live closer to her father David who lives in New Hampshire.  She's bought a radio station, and has changed programming to eliminate Edwin Anger and now plays late-night requested love songs.  Followers of Edwin aren't happy, and have taken to protesting outside the station (which is also her home).  So Jaye decides to teach them a lesson, taking one man's musket and blowing the head off a snowman in the town square.  (Never mind that there are people there).

When the body of Edwin is discovered inside the snowman, the sheriff wants to know who killed him.  He doesn't believe Jaye had anything to do with it, so she's not worried.  But now she's taken with the state governor, who's just as taken with her.  To watch her romance heat up, she needs to find out who's a stone-cold killer...

Oh, my, my, my.  We have yet another book of thinly-veiled personal politics masquerading as a cozy mystery.  This it does not do.  In fact, with all the Republican-bashing throughout the book, I wonder how the far-left leaning author could even sit up straight while writing.  This book is so filled with hate speech against the right that I found it ludicrous that the protagonist would even say that she 'didn't want hate speech on her program.'  Seriously?

It's not even a cozy mystery.  Yes, there is a dead body, but the police investigate everything -- and we all know in a cozy that the protagonist is right there with them, picking up clues along the way.  This book is: 1) a political rant; 2) a romance; and 3) with a murder thrown in so it can be labeled a cozy.  Which it is not, with all the foul language.

I read to escape everyday life, everyday politics.  And yes, I would have felt the same if this were a right-leaning book.  Politics have no place in a cozy mystery, especially not the author's own views.  Also, the writing was strange, to say the least.  It was as if we were reading the protagonist's thoughts as she went through day-to-day life, It might have been alright if I could even like the protagonist.  But I could not.  I couldn't even finish the book.  Unfortunately, I will not be reading any more of this author's books.

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/Live-Local-Vermont-Radio-Mystery/dp/1643859455/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4539729553

More on Nikki Knight's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/nikki-knight/

Frosted Yuletide Murder (Cupcake Catering Mystery Series Book 4)

Author:    Kim Davis

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9780999068892

Cinnamon & Sugar Press

302 Pages

$2.99; $9.99 Amazon

December 13, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Set against the holiday cheer of twinkling lights, costumed carolers, and a festive line of extravagantly decorated boats participating in the annual Christmas boat parade in Newport Beach, California, cupcake caterer Emory Martinez finds that the grinch has crashed the party.  Together with her sister Carrie, Emory is catering a delectable feast of holiday cupcakes and cookies aboard a luxury yacht for the new Mrs. Blair Villman and her guests.

Sparks fly when Carrie comes face-to-face with the hostess, who just happens to be Carrie's high school frenemy, and old grievances are dredged up.  Adding fuel to the fire, Blair's stepson brings his mother, former Mrs. Villman, to the party.  Instead of celebrating holiday cheer, someone seems intent on channeling the Burgermesiter Meisterburger and shutting down Blair's party permanently.  When Emory finds a body aboard the yacht, she needs to discover who iced the victim before the Scrooge ruins not only her livelihood but her freedom as well.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Emory Martinez makes the desserts -- especially indulgent cupcakes -- for her sister Carrie's catering company, and also for Oceana, her boyfriend Brian's upscale restaurant.  When catering an unknown client's Christmas party aboard a yacht, it's soon discovered that the client, Blair Villman, is an old high school enemy of Carrie's.  While Carrie wouldn't have accepted the job if she'd known, they are already in process and determined to do a good job.  But it's difficult when Blair finds out who the caterer is, and begins vilifying both Carrie and her food to anyone who will listen, making Emory angry.  It doesn't help when the chief steward, Martha Chao, is harassing them at every turn.

Then there's a public fight between Blair and her elderly husband's son, Johnathan Jr., and it's becoming apparent that no one really cares for Blair.  On top of this, Emory and Carrier are going to meet their long-lost half-sister, Vanessa, which has them both excited and anxious.  But before they can do so, Emory finds a body in the freezer on the yacht, and once again she's drawn into a murder investigation...one that makes her a top suspect.  Now she has to clear her name before she can enjoy her holiday -- if she can stay out of prison for murder...

This is the fourth book in the series and I have read them all.  It was a truly enjoyable read, and very entertaining.  While not a lot was centered on Christmas, there was enough throughout to make one aware of the holiday.  It was more or less centered on the murder, which it should be.  The clues were scattered, but I more or less figured out the murderer early on; no big feat as I read a lot of mysteries and it's really never difficult for me anyway.

I liked the way the mystery was played out, and also that we get a glimpse once again into the life of Emory, but not so much as it overpowered the mystery.  The story was written well, and the ending was worth waiting for.  I hope to see that there is another book in this series coming soon, and I do like them quite a bit.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Frosted-Yuletide-Cupcake-Catering-Mystery/dp/099906889X/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4537600364

More on Kim Davis's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/Kim-Davis/e/B093NRS3F2/ref

Framed and Frosted (Cupcake Catering Mystery Series Book 3)

Author:    Kim Davis

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9780999068878

Cinnamon & Sugar Press

328 Pages

$9.99; $2.99 Amazon

June 19, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Framed and Frosted, the third book in the Cupcake Catering Mystery Series, finds cupcake caterer, Emory Martinez, working at a Laguna Beach society Fourth of July soiree, with her sister and their new employee, Sal.  With a host who seems intent on accosting both catering employees and guests alike, things go from bad to worse when he accuses Sal of murdering his long-dead son.

As the crescendo of exploding fireworks overhead becomes the backdrop for cupcakes and champagne, a deadly murder occurs.  Can Sal and Emory explain why the cupcake host ate, after shoving a trayful of buttercream-frosted cupcakes onto Sal, resulted in his death?  Or will the guests and the detective alike believe that Sal is a murderer?  Emory and her octogenarian employer, Tillie, whip into action to find out who framed Sal after he was frosted by the victim.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Emory Martinez bakes cupcakes for her sister Carrie's catering company.  While catering a strange dinner for a nasty hostess, Carrie's employee Sal is harassed by the host.  Then the man accosts Emory and pulls her down on his lap.  Determined to finish the job for her sister, she doesn't want anything to do with Mr. Jorgenson again.  But later, while the fireworks are exploding, the drunken host accosts Sal and threatens him; throws cupcakes at him, then dies after eating one.  Naturally the police suspect Sal of being the murder, but both sisters refuse to believe it.  

In her second job as accountant to her octogenarian employer Tillie's son David, she discovers some strange goings-on at David's home.  She reports these to Tillie, and it opens another can of worms for Tillie's family.  Meanwhile Tillie is still trying to set up her grandson Brian with Emory, and for Emory's part, she has unfinished business with her boyfriend Randall.  With three things on her mind, she knows solving the murder is first and foremost.  But neither the police nor the killer see it that way, and Emory is being stalked and targeted...and if she doesn't figure out who's behind it, she might just be the next victim who's permanently baked...

I have read all of the books in this series, and I have to say that this is my favorite so far.  I enjoyed it quite a bit, and Emory is an interesting person.  However, I do have issues with how she constantly describes herself -- as having red 'clown' hair, for one; (there are products out there that handle frizz, and using them would tackle this perfectly) and being chubby.  Nothing wrong with that; but she has low self-esteem, and perhaps more than one walk a day with her dog would take care of some of this.  I really hate it when protagonists describe themselves as lesser to their siblings.  I have four and we are all shapes and sizes, but I never compare myself to them and hope they do the same.  People can be beautiful in all shapes and sizes.  Emory needs to stop denigrating herself.

When Emory starts investigating, a man named Will Trenton, an attorney, offers to help her free Sal.  Touched by his kindness, she agrees.  But Will has secrets of his own, and though he is a good man, she can't help but notice his pallor and wonder why.  Still, they come to help each other in different ways, along with Tillie, and they discover clues to the murder.

When the murder is closing in, Emory's clues are leading her to one person.  But more than that, her life is shaping up to be different from what she expected, and all the clues tie more than one mystery together, leaving Emory with decisions to make that will change her life.

All in all, the murderer wasn't so much a surprise as it could be, nor the motive for the killing, but I did like this tale because of twists that brought everything together.  The ending left us something to look forward to in the next book, and I will be reading it soon.  There are also quite a few recipes in the back of the book also.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Framed-Frosted-Cupcake-Catering-Mystery/dp/0999068873/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4530911842

More on Kim Davis's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/Kim-Davis/e/B093NRS3F2/ref=aufs_dp_mata_dsk

A Matter of Hive and Death (An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery #2)

Author:    Nancy Coco

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496735621 (B&N Edition: 9781496731784)

Kensington Publishing

320 Pages

$8.99; $6.99 Amazon

March 29, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐

For the picturesque town of Oceanview on the Oregon coast, May brings blossoming fruit trees and the annual UFO festival in nearby McMinnville.  As Aunt Eloise tries out alien costumes on handsome Havana Brown cat Everett, Wren is off to meet with a bee wrangler, her go-to guy for local fruit tree honey.

But when she arrives, Elias Brentwood is lying on the ground amidst destroyed hives and a swarm of angry bees.  The bees didn't kill him, a blow to the head did.  As blue-eyed Officer Jim Hampton investigates and the area is invaded by its own swarm of conspiracy theorists and crackpots, Wren and Aunt Eloise decide the only way to catch the bee wrangler's killer is to set up a sting.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Wren Johnson lives in Oceanview, Oregon and owns Let It Bee, a shop dedicated to all things made by bees and bee-oriented.  She even has her own hive for customers to see how bees work.  Her Aunt Eloise is excited to see the UFO festival in a nearby town, and is trying to convince Wren to go and bring her Havana Brown cat, Everett.  Wren has misgivings, but finally agrees.  But this day she needs to see her bee wrangler, Elias, who provides her with beeswax and other needed supplies.

When she arrives at Elias's home, no one appears to be there.  But she finds him in the backyard, wearing his bee suit, with bees from his hives everywhere.  The only way for anyone to get to him is to call another wrangler, and Wren does this, along with calling 911.  When Elias is finally removed, it turns out he's been murdered, and the suspect is the wrangler Wren called.  Knowing he's innocent, Wren and her employee Porche Allen are out to find a killer -- under the radar of Officer Jim Hampton, who wants her to stay out of it.

Confusing things is finding her old boyfriend Travis is in town, and he wants to buy a Havana Brown of his own, along with taking Wren out to dinner.  Will she succumb to Travis's charms again?  Will she be able to find a killer?  And last but not least, will she be able to figure it all out before a killer finds her?

This is the second book in the series, and I do think I enjoyed it more than the first.  The characters are getting some fleshing out, and we see that Wren can hold her own.  She does share what information she finds with the police -- although some it might be later than they want -- and she's not running scared, nor breaking into houses or doing other illegal things (things that irritate me in cozies).  Wren is a decent person, generous to her employees and her aunt, and smart enough to figure out when she needs to take care of her own.  She also has a great love for her cat, which I can empathize with, owning my own and loving it just as much, if not more.  I would never put my cats in danger (and they're only indoor cats, so there's that!)

When Wren starts trying to look at who wanted to kill Elias -- by all accounts a nice man who had no enemies and helped others -- she doesn't believe he was killed by another wrangler.  She can't believe anyone in the bee community would do such a thing, but who else is a suspect?  When it appears that the killer is watching her every move, she wonders if she's putting others in danger.  That's when she realizes that drastic measures must be taken, and Wren tries to formulate a plan to catch a murderer.

It's watching her put the clues together, and figure things out that is so interesting.  I never saw the killer coming, and the reasons for the murder seemed so insane; but you never can look into the mind nor eyes of a killer and tell what they are thinking.  It was all put together nicely, and the motive was indeed unique; and I truly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next in the series.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Death-Oregon-Honeycomb-Mystery/dp/1496735625/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4521594026

More on Nancy Coco's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/nancy-coco/