Thursday, March 31, 2022

Five Belles Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery Book 5)

Author:    Debra H. Goldstein
Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781496732231
Kensington Publishing
336 Pages
$8.99; $6.99 Amazon
June 28, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Sometimes Sarah's mother, Maybelle, can be higher maintenance than her Siamese cat RahRah.  Maybelle and her friend, Mr. George Rogers, have been chosen to be one of five couples competing for a small-town "perfect" wedding and dream honeymoon on a Southern Belles reality show -- and guess who has to be chaperone.  Even more vexing, the producers have decided to put up the crew and participants at the restaurant/bed and breakfast owned by Sarah's nemesis Jane Clark,

But when someone turns up dead with Jane kneeling by the body with blood on her hands, she goes from being Sarah's chief rival to the police's chief suspect.  Neither Sarah nor her twin, Chef Emily Johnson, can stand Jane -- still, they don't think she's a murderer.  The producers vow the show must go on, but to protect their mother and the other contestants, Sarah vows to find the true killer before someone else gets eliminated...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sarah Blair is happy with her life after divorce.  She lives in the carriage house behind the restaurant she owns along with her sister Emily, and Emily's beau, Marcus.  She works for an attorney, and cares for her two pets, and all is well...until her mother informs her that a reality show is going to be filmed in her hometown of Wheaton, Alabama, and that she, Maybelle, will be one of the contestants.  If that's not shocking enough for Sarah, she finds out that she needs to be her mother's chaperone and stay with her every night of the competition.  But to top it off, Maybelle and the other brides will be staying across the street at Jane's Place -- the same Jane who stole her husband, kidnapped her cat, RahRah (now returned, of course) and opened a restaurant/B&B specifically to compete with Southwind, the one that Emily now runs.

Not happy about the situation, she can see no way out of it so goes along with it.  But one night after returning from dinner at Southwind, she hears a scream and comes across Jane standing over a dead body with blood on her hands.  Now Jane is the main suspect in a murder, and even though Sarah (and myself) can't stand the woman (mine because I hate the 'evil nemesis' in books), she knows that she can't let her go down for a murder she's sure she didn't do and intends to find the guilty party herself.

But it isn't going to be easy, because any one of the cast or crew could be the killer that Sarah is looking for.  When another death occurs, things become not only more heated for Jane, but for everyone working on the show.  No one wants to continue, but with the contracts signed, they have no choice.  If Sarah can't put the clues together fast, someone is going to get away with murder...

This is the sixth book in the series, and I have read them all.  I have come to enjoy watching Sarah as she tries to figure out who might be a murderer, and this time out, there are so many red herrings it could fill a water pond.  Even Maybelle, who usually loves to be the center of attention, is beginning to waver, and worry about Sarah.  Sarah has even enlisted the help of Harlan, the attorney she works for, and is feeding him information as she garners it.  But there is so much going on -- with the competitions that the show has set, the added dinners at Southwind, and even Sarah's personal life, that she's overwhelmed with it all.

But as it comes to a head and Sarah overhears a crucial conversation, things start to come together.  But when they do, she realizes that she might be in over her head and looks for a way out...luckily, it all works out just as it's supposed to, with a surprise ending that's pleasing and satisfactory both; and worth reading the book.  I enjoyed this quite a bit and look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

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



More on Debra H. Goldstein's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/debra-h-goldstein/
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Monday, March 28, 2022

A Half-Baked Alibi (A Cook-Off Mystery #6)

Author:    Devon Delaney
Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781954717800
Beyond the Page Publishing
206 Pages
$13.99; $4.99 Amazon
March 1, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Sidelined by an injury, longtime cook-off contestant Sherry Oliveri has agreed to offer her wisdom and moral support to a friend who's entering the Ktichen Royalty Cook-Off.  She knows the key is to plan ahead for anything that could go wrong, but nothing prepared Sherry for discovering the event sponsor's dead body hidden behind one of the appliances -- or having her friend singled out as the most likely suspect.

Determined to get her friend out of hot water, Sherry sets her sights on the victim's disgruntled wife and a rival sponsor.  But her friend's shaky alibi and the revelation that she may have been nursing an old grudge against the victim leave Sherry in a stew.  Desperate to figure out who framed her friend, Sherry will have to sift through the clues and grill the suspects to bring a killer to justice...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sherry Oliveri works for her father at his shop, The Ruggery.  But she'd rather be doing what she does best: entering another cook-off contest, and this one is being held in her hometown of Augustin.  However, while perfecting her latest recipe she accidentally cut her hand and since she's in stitches, she has to sit this one out.  But at least she can help her friend Amber, who's fairly new to cook-offs, as she works on her own entry.

She's also been invited aboard her boyfriend Don's new boat, in which he ferries passengers from one place to another.  On this voyage, the passengers are other cook-off contestants, and the new sponsors, Washington Appliances, who have suddenly replaced the other one due to a problem.  While Sherry watches the people on board, she notices that all is not well, and there are tensions.  Still, she thinks since she's not entering, it's nothing to worry about.

But then Sherry is asked to help out at the cook-off, and help contestants the day of the event.  Happy to do so, she's given a tour by Rickie O'Dell, the organizer, and during one of these trips Rickie spots the body of one of the sponsors, and when he is examined, it's determined he was murdered.  Now, with a couple of knives missing, her friend Amber is on top of the suspect list.  Determining to prove Amber innocent isn't easy with Amber fighting her at every turn, and the other suspects seemingly disinterested as to the goings-on.  Will Sherry be able to prove Amber innocent, or will her goose be cooked?

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all.  I do love this series, as Sherry is not only a great cook, she's a good friend and an intelligent woman who's not in-your-face when she asks questions.  I don't really care for protagonists who go around accusing everyone of being the killer.  She also has a good relationship with homicide detective Ray Bease, who once again is on this case.

There is plenty going on, with Sherry's brother Pep trying to start a food truck business as well as write about it -- and I do love Pep, although I don't know why -- Amber's reunion with an ex-co-worker and keeping him away from Sherry; and Sherry's boyfriend Don's new business, which isn't giving them a lot of time together, although there is a word here and there about what their future holds.

The action is non-stop, and with the infighting between sponsors and Sherry and Amber, there's plenty going on.  I did know the murderer the minute this person stepped onto the page, but I attribute that to the fact that I read a lot of mysteries, and know what I'm looking for (following my own clues, as it were!).  Still, it never spoils my enjoyment of the books, and it certainly didn't mar my enjoyment of this one at all.

You have to watch for the clues, but they are there, and all the talk of food was making me hungry, so I made sure to have healthy snacks nearby!  When the climax comes the murderer is revealed, the reasons exposed, and it was worth the wait.  I did like the ending quite a bit, and can't wait for the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

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



More on Devon Delaney's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/devon-delaney/
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Thursday, March 24, 2022

Murder Calls at Shadow Falls (An Olivia Twist Cozy Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Irene Jorgensen
Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9798421945772
Apatite Publishing
123 Pages
$7.99; $3.99 Amazon
February 22, 2022

⭐⭐⭐



The gossip has finally faded.

Is it safe to go home now...

...and make amends?

Olivia knew it was wrong.  But she had her reasons.  Desperate to get out of Shadow Falls, she stole the money her best friend needed to start her dream bakery.  Now, at thirty years old, Olivia wants one thing, to repair her friendship with Annie.  Is there a chance for redemption?

To find out, she must go home.

But there is a risk.

With one year left on the statute of limitations for her crime, Olivia must craft a plan to keep her return a secret.  And in the small town of Shadow Falls, secrets aren't kept for long.  Can she stay under the radar disguised as a fake psychic?

Will she find forgiveness?

In a twist of fate, when Annie is accused of murdering the local bakery owner, it falls on Olivia to unravel the mystery of what really happened -- without revealing her identity.  Because if people find out who she is, Olivia and Annie could end up renewing their friendship in prison.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Olivia Swift left town years ago, it was under a cloud -- she had stolen several thousand dollars that her best friend Annie needed to start a bakery.  Now Annie is a caterer, and the woman who bought the bakery isn't pleased that Annie has apparently whipped up a lemon meringue gluten-free pie that she hasn't been able to.

Olivia returns because her aunt sent her an ominous note, and she's wearing a disguise to cover herself, in order to stay out of jail.  If she can make it one more year, when the statute of limitations runs out on her crime, she'll be safe.  She's tried to make amends to Annie by returning the money, but there are others she needs to make amends too also.  Her aunt has offered to help her if she remains in Shadow Falls.  The only way Olivia can stay is if she hides out under her guise of a fake psychic, using her observations of people that she's learned.  

When the bakery owner dies and Annie is accused of the murder, Olivia must use all of her powers of observation to save her.  But since everyone hated the woman, who hated her enough to kill her?  What reason could they have?  With Annie the only other person who knows who she is, the two team up to find a killer who isn't going down easily...

This is the first book in the series, and I really wanted to like it a lot.  Unfortunately, it has some problems I can't get over.  If her aunt is so wealthy, why didn't she just give the money to Olivia to help her out when she needed it?  But then again, I don't really like the aunt because she doesn't like cats.  I don't trust people who don't like cats.  Cats are pretty good about ferreting out people, and I'd trust their reactions first.

I also felt that the book was a bit too short to give us a true picture of Olivia.  While the book was a quick, fun read, it just left me on the fence a little bit.  However, the ending was done very well, and I will read the second in the series, since I want to give this series another chance.

I was given a copy of this book from BookFunnel but this in no way influenced my review.



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Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder (An Andi Anna Jones Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Mary Cunningham
Genre:     Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781509241088
Wild Rose Press
224 Pages
$14.99; $4.99 Amazon
April 27, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent and amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father's widow and books a sixtieth birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends.  Never does Andi imagine the cruise will include the murder of a has-been lounge singer -- or that Ruby might be the main suspect.

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with charming local sheriff, Manuel Gonzales.  An embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, can't quell her determination to clear the name of her ex-stepmother.

While gathering clues and interviewing witnesses, however, she suspects dear old step-mom isn't the only one in jeopardy.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Andi Anna Jones, travel agent in Miami, is awakened early (and I mean early) one morning by her ex-stepmother screaming in her ear.  Once Andi is able to think, she gets the point that Ruby, the woman in question, is being held in Mexico for murder.  The victim?  An ex-lounge singer that Ruby met on board the sixtieth birthday cruise that Andi booked for her and three of her friends.  It seems that Ruby was the last person to see him alive, and so naturally she's the main suspect.  

Once Andi has spoken with her younger sister Georgia, she heads to Mexico to try and see what evidence they have of Ruby.  While it doesn't seem like enough to Andi, she does what she needs to do: she calls Ruby's attorney friend Bert Bagley and 'convinces' him to get on the next plane to Mexico and get Ruby out on bail.  

But once Andi sets eyes on the local sheriff, Manuel Gonzales, her heart starts hammering and her head isn't listening to her to knock it off.  All she needs to do is ignore it and get on with business, right?  Easier said than done when those piercing hazel eyes are staring right through her...

That done, she then devises a plan: go to the ship to see what she can find out, then head to Las Vegas, the lounge singer's old playing ground, to see if she can figure out the truth.  But will she be able to get any information?  And more importantly, will she find the killer or just find herself as the next victim instead?

This is the first book in a new series and I found it extremely delightful.  Andi is hoping that she'll be able to clear Ruby quickly, but things aren't working out the way she hoped.  Manny -- as Sheriff Gonzales asked her to call him -- is watching her every move, and it's making her nervous in more ways than one.  Also, there seems to be an awful lot of clandestine goings-on around her, and they aren't boding well for her safety.  While she just wants to chuck it all and let Ruby be thrown to the wolves, she made a vow to her late father to watch over her, so that she's doing...all while putting herself in the sight of a killer.

There's a lot going on here, with the action taking place on the cruise ship, Mexico, and even Las Vegas (where I live, and trust me, I find the Bodies exhibit creepy, too...just sayin').  But it's plenty of fun and frolic, and both humorous and expressive as she tries to solve the mystery surrounding the murder of the lounge singer.  While it isn't all that difficult to put the clues together, it's the way it's done that is the enjoyment of reading this book.

When the ending comes through a very enchanting climax, all is once well again in Andi's world...or is it?  I can hardly wait for the next installment in this series.  Highly recommended.

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



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Monday, March 21, 2022

Double Twist (A Mia Murphy Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Stephanie Rowe
Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781940968940
Authenticity Playground, LLC
386 Pages
$14.99; $5.99 Amazon
May 3, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



All Mia Murphy wants is an ordinary, law-abiding life.

Accidentally marrying a drug kingpin?  Easily fixed with an anonymous tip to the FBI...which resulted in a not-so-voluntary, surprisingly stressful stint as an undercover spy against him.

But with her ex finally in prison and assassins in her rearview mirror, Mia is off to Diamond Lake in Bass Derby, Maine with King Tut, her rescue (aka purloined) cat, to start over.

Upon arrival, Mia quickly finds a couple of soulmates in a blue-haired "I'll show you what old is" café owner and a baton-twirling mail carrier.  Life is headed in the right direction...until the trio stumbles across a dead body during a slightly illegal but well-intentioned home invasion.

When one of her new besties is arrested for the murder, Mia is the only one with the skills to ferret out the real killer...but she can't afford to resurrect her morally flexible past.  Can Mia keep her life on the straight and narrow with so much at stake?  Or will a homicidal, jet-skiing moose, a dead Mr. January firefighter, and an overzealous mayor take them all down?

Mia has to step up, or she'll lose her chance for the life she's always wanted and the friends she's never had.  Even worse, she might wind up dead.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Mia Murphy is finally out of hiding.  Growing up with a con artist mother, she learned to pickpocket (among other things) at an early age.  And when she married, she had no idea her husband was a kingpin drug dealer.  But in giving a tip to the FBI, it only made things worse -- she had to work with them for nearly two years to take down the man -- and leave her open to hitmen.  But when things are finally over, Mia decides to move to Bass Derby, Maine, and open a marina.

Unfortunately, the pictures are nothing like what she just bought: a run-down dilapidated wreck that definitely needs some TLC to open.  Did I mention that she brought along King Tut, a massive Maine Coon that she rescued (purloined) from its previous owner?  

What she also finds is that she only has one tenant, a woman named Hattie who runs a café, is somewhere south of sixty and drives like a maniac.  That, and Lucy Grande, a mail carrier who's new to Mia's route and wants to be her friend, not to mention an employee that's named Cargo that Mia isn't even sure exists.  Mia doesn't know what to make of all this, but she's willing to try and make everything work.

Unfortunately, there was a slight accident coming into town that didn't put her in the best light.  And people are starting to figure out that she's the 'drug lord's wife' even if she did change her hair color.  The sheriff (younger than her) doesn't like her, and the deputy (definitely hot) is curious about her, but suddenly things go south.  When she's kind of pushed into helping her new friends get Lucy's truck back from her ex, they find the truck...and his dead body.  Now Lucy is the main suspect, and Mia vows to keep her out of prison.  After all, she put her ex Stanley in prison, so this will just be in reverse.  If she can avoid jet skiing moose who are trying to kill her...

This is the first in a new series and I have to be honest and say that I have never read any of Ms. Rowe's books before.  But given the chance to read this I found it extremely intriguing.  Believe it or not, there were some things said that brought tears to my eyes (Trust me, this is rare for me), a lot of laughter, and images of some people (the old ladies, e.g., but you have to read the book) that might have me wanting to wash my eyeballs.  

This is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time.  It also brought sadness for Mia, who just wants a new life -- but maybe not the current one.  The descriptions are some of the best I've ever been shown, and the people who live in Bass Derby are beyond quirky; some of them are downright insane.  But Mia is determined to keep the new life she's made for herself, even if it means skirting the law (sort of) to help her new friend.

What ensues is actually two days of pure havoc in Mia's new life.  Two days of eluding police, rabid killers, and refusing to sleep in her new apartment because of the smell (you'll get there).  Then there's King Tut, who surprises me at every turn and makes me want to make him my own (I love cats).  He's just strange and special...really strange.

In the end, when the killer is found, it really is an unexpected surprise, but it brings everything together full circle in the most delightful way possible.  I loved this book so much that I want to read the next in the series right now.  Kudos to the author.  Highly recommended.

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


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More on Stephanie Rowe's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/stephanie-rowe/
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Friday, March 18, 2022

Mystics and Murder (Darla Damian Paranormal Mysteries Book 1)

Author:    Julia Koty
Genre:    Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781939309273
Busstop Press
176 Pages
$9.99; $2.99 Amazon
March 22, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


What happens when you swear off your psychic skills but still need to solve a murder?

the cozy seaside town of Stoneport, Massachusetts is not only home to tourist restaurants and a lighthouse but to strange disappearances and a cat-sleuthing secret society.  It's also home to the world-renowned psychic,  Darla Damian, who has recently sworn off her abilities.  Of course, her first day back is more exciting than she had anticipated.

Back at the Aurora B, Fine Crystals and More, Darla's best friend books a new consulting case for her with the Stoneport police department.
"Open and shut," they say.
Except it isn't.
Her loving cats are barely any help, X and O have their own mystery to solve.
The mysterious case collides with her complicated past and Darla faces her biggest fear: that she not longer has what it takes to interpret her visions and unearth the truth.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Darla Damian, world-renowned psychic, is back at work after three weeks away.  Three weeks during which time she's pondering whether she can trust her visions anymore.  Three weeks after a traumatic event that's caused her to doubt everything now.  But in her first return to work, her best friend Candace, who is also her partner in the Aurora B, Fine Crystals and More, has booked a new case for her -- one that she hopes will get Darla back on track.

But Darla doesn't want to be 'back on track.'  She wants to lay low and do simple Tarot readings for others, not wanting to see or feel her visions.  Yet now she's presented with a missing persons case -- that just might be more than that.  When a murder occurs, Darla discovers that maybe the two might just be connected.  And even though she still wants to leave it alone, Candace won't let her.  Now Darla is involved in what she doesn't want, and with a new homicide detective who thinks she's a hack.  Can Darla find the killer?  And more important, can she find her skills again?

This is the first book in a new series, and as such, it shines.  If you've read any of the Mira Michaels books, you'll know that Darla is Mira's older sister.  (If you haven't, I suggest you run - not walk - to your nearest purchase place and buy a copy.  You'll be hooked).  Darla has always depended upon her psychic gifts to help others, but when something extremely traumatic occurs, and she blames herself for 'misreading' her vision, she feels that she can't trust herself anymore.  Now it's up to Candace to help her return to what she does best.  With prodding and trust, Candace tries to help Darla as she navigates her way into a new case, albeit reluctantly.

What follows is Darla, still unsure of herself, asking questions and watching people, rather than reading them, to find the truth.  Yet there is a vision or two to help her along, and she's going to have to trust herself in order to corner a killer.  Because we know she will, of course...

The ending is a very interesting one, and leaves us wondering what the next book will bring.  As for the new detective, I'm right there along with Darla, as I'm a believer myself, (and have the proof to back it up!). 

The characters are believable and fully fleshed out (the main ones, at least) and we understand Darla's feelings and her angst; we also understand Candace and why she is doing what she is.  The story line is riveting, and let us not forget Darla's Siamese cats, X and O, who are definitely worth reading about in their own right, trying to keep the peace between the House Cats and the Ferals -- and solving their own mystery along the way.

In the end, this is the beginning to a new series that should have everyone smiling in satisfaction and waiting for the next in the series (hurry, hurry!) as Darla takes her place on your bookshelf.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the author and BookFunnel, but this in no way influenced my review.



More on Julia Koty's Books:   https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/julia-koty/
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Tuesday, March 15, 2022

One for the Hooks (A Crochet Mystery #14)

Author:    Betty Hechtman
Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781643857329
Crooked Lane Books
320 Pages
$17.04; $13,99 Amazon
August 10, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐


These are the dog days of August, but you won't catch the Tarzana Hookers crochet club napping.  While Molly Pink knits together an idea for a new project, Miami Wilson busily converts house she inherited into a rental property.  But Miami is left shorthanded when Sloan Renner, the woman helping her clean out the house ends up dead under a pile of smelly seafood.

A large drone had flown over the property discarding mollusk shells all over the backyard.  Was it an accident?  An ill-fated prank by neighbors up in arms about a rental house in their cul-de-sac?  Witnesses clam up when Molly's ex, homicide detective Barry Greenberg, tries to get information, but he thinks Molly may be able to get them to open up to her.

When Molly learns about Sloan's seafood allergy, she suspects that the woman's death was no accident.  Can she bait the hook to catch the culprit, or will the killer keep raising shell?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Molly Pink, assistant manager of Shedd & Royal Books & More, is asked by a friend if she wants to purchase a large stash of yarn for the store, she decides to look at it before making an offer.  But by the time she makes the visit, it's turned into an excursion -- Adele seems to insist on tagging along, because her 'knowledge' is more extensive and she wants to record it for her new vlog; and Elise, one of the Tarzana Hookers, is insisting because she's begun selling real estate and thinks she might be able to undercut the agent already there.  But it's never easy for Molly -- while at Miami Wilson's inherited home, the agent who invited Molly, Sloan Renner, is hit with a drone full of seafood shells, and killed.

Sure, the neighborhood is upset because Miami wants to turn her home into short-term rentals, and of course, this is a family street, so they don't want it; but someone has also been vandalizing her sign out front, and she refuses to be cowed.  But who hates her enough to do this?  With any one of the homeowners as suspects, even if the police think it was a freak accident, Molly's not so sure.

Then there's the problem of Molly's older son Peter, who has unexpectedly shown up at her home with his pregnant girlfriend in tow, moving in without notice, because his life has gone down the tubes.  How can she turn him away?  Although she seems to want to when the couple decide she might just be in their way while they entertain potential clients and want her to 'stay in her room'.  (Seriously?)

But the kicker is her new life is about to take off.  Her beau, high-powered attorney Mason Fields, has unexpectedly proposed marriage and Molly is stunned.  It means her life is going to change;  she'll be traveling with Mason, helping him on his Second Chance legal project, which helps innocent people get out of prison; and that also means she'll have to give up her job as assistant manager at Shedd & Royal.  And what about her numerous pets -- who just got a new addition with Sloan's little dog Princess?  It doesn't help that her ex, homicide detective Barry Greenberg, once again has asked for her help and doesn't like the idea of her going off with Mason.

Now Molly has a mountain of decisions to make, including who killed Sloan.  Is she in over her head?  Or will she be able to make this mountain into a molehill?...

This is the fourteenth book in the series, and I have read them all.  While I have liked some better than most (and really didn't care for the first, to be honest here,) I have watched the changes in Molly's life with interest.  Of course, there are things that bother me -- like Elise going crazy suddenly about being a real estate agent and trying to hound everyone into selling or using her services, including nagging Miami when she first meets her -- if I had an agent like her, I'd tell her I never intend to sell and don't know anyone who does.  Elise has become annoying as heck.  I also have to wonder about Peter.  He supposedly had this great job in Hollywood, but never put any money in the bank?  He has to move back in with his mother?  Did he blow every penny he made?  He should have had some sort of nest egg -- you'd think.  Or the fact that Molly never confronted either Peter or Gabby about their treatment of her.

But this is because I notice details -- a lot.  And though I let most details pass me by in books, because they are written for entertainment, after all -- I can't let them all pass by.  I should.  But I don't.  Anyway, back to the book...

I did like the mystery itself.  We have the woman die at the beginning, and it looks as if it's connected to Miami using her home for short-term rentals, and suddenly some of the neighbors recognize Molly going into the home and assume that she is having something to do with it.  So now she's involved, whether she wants to be or not, and when Barry asks for her help, she doesn't refuse.  Molly is supposed to be only asking questions (yeah, sure) but she and her best friend Dinah start playing their 'Sherlock Holmes' game to try and find out who the killer is.  This, of course, brings the killer's interest to Molly, and now she becomes a secondary target.

But watching Molly navigate her role in the bookstore and assure Mrs. Shedd that everything is just as it's supposed to be, try to figure out who the killer is, and decide who and what she really wants for her life is actually fun.  There's a lot going on here.

Then we have the ending -- which is more than we expected.  While it was a rather silly conclusion as far as the murder goes, there was a bigger surprise in store...and while I haven't made up my mind as to whether I'm happy or not, it gives me something to look forward to in the next book.  Recommended.

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



More on Betty Hechtman's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/
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Thursday, March 10, 2022

Hooks Can Be Deceiving (A Crochet Mystery Book 13)

Author:    Betty Hechtman
Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback (LP); Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781683318842
Crooked Lane Books
320 Pages
$37.11; $26.99; $12.99 Amazon
December 11, 2018

⭐⭐⭐⭐


Molly Pink's excitement level is off the hook.  The Craftee Channel's new cable talk show "Creating with Crochet" has scheduled an upcoming taping at the bookstore.  While she's there, TV host Rory Graham is to work with the Tarzana Hookers on a Make and Take bracelet project to draw bookstore customers to the yarn section.  It's a win-win...or so it "seams."

The situation gets a bit knotted when channel product Michael Kostner confides to Molly his concern that Rory may have oversold her ability as a crocheter.  When the producer's worst fears are realized, it's up to Molly to make sure Rory comes through.

Guiding Rory through crocheting-for-beginners will have to wait, though, as Molly suddenly has to untangle the mysterious death of a new Tarzana Hookers member.  Marianne Freeman and her live-in companion, Connie Richards, haven't exactly been gabby since they joined the Hookers, but Connie's voice is silenced permanently when she is electrocuted while walking on a wet lawn -- electrified by an old radio plugged into a faulty extension cord.  The fingers point at Marianne, but Molly is fast on the case to protect one of her own.  Was Marianne the killer...or the intended target?  Why does her younger brother want to keep her from talking to the cops?  And why is this whole case starting to remind Molly Pink of an old TV movie?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Molly Pink is finally starting to get her life in order -- again.  She's found out she's the 'contact person' for the Craftee Channel, who want to film a show at Shedd & Royal Books & More, where Molly works.  But her co-worker Adele isn't happy, since she thinks that she should be the right person.  And when Molly discovers that a young reality star, Rory Graham, is going to be the host, she's less than thrilled -- especially when she finds out Rory can't crochet.

But then the Tarzana Hookers are joined by two new members -- Marianne Freeman and Connie Richards.  Molly soon figures out that Marianne has some problems, and Connie is there to help her.  But she also learns that Marianne's brother Errol isn't happy about it, and wants to keep Marianne where he can see her.  

At least her love life is improving; she's back with high-powered criminal defense attorney Mason Fields, and they're starting all over, trying to make time for each other in their busy schedules.  Although her ex homicide detective Barry Greenberg isn't happy, he's trying to learn to deal with it.

But then Connie is found dead on Marianne's lawn, electrocuted, and now Marianne is a suspect.  She won't talk to the police, but Barry comes to Molly for help, which is a first, hoping she can get information from Marianne that the police can't.  Molly, who has an innate curious nature, is more than willing to help.

When Molly starts asking Marianne questions she begins to learn more about the quiet woman than she ever imagined.  It's obvious Marianne's brother doesn't want her in their home, but Molly persists, and Marianne is on Molly's side.

But Rory is another problem: if she's not ready for the show, everything will fall apart and Mrs. Shedd will be devastated.  So Molly enlists her fellow crocheters to help, tries to get Mariane to talk, is trying to set up a very different type of book signing, keep her relationship with Mason going, and keep Barry and Mason apart, all while helping Barry.  It's enough to make her take her eye off the killer so they can put theirs on her...

This is the eleventh book in the series, and there is a lot going on here.  Rory is more interested in showing off her dance moves than crocheting, figuring that Adele can do the job for her (of course she can't); and Molly is trying to keep her helping Barry on the down low, which is near impossible when her best friend Dinah is having her own problems and hiding out at Molly's intermittently.  

It's an interesting mystery that starts to come together slowly, with the clues being put together as Molly finds them.  Is Marianne guilty?  Molly doesn't think so, but Detective Heather Gilmore is sure of it, not even looking at other suspects.  Barry doesn't agree with her, which is why he's enlisted Molly's help.

Of course, Molly is still feeding anyone who shows up at her house, and I find that a bit overdone; people know how to feed themselves.  At least Adele has toned things down a bit in this book, and for that I am grateful.  (One note that I have to say is that I am a left-handed crocheter.  I have been crocheting since I was a child, learning from my mother, and never had any problem with patterns at all.)
  
When the ending comes and Molly puts everything together, the murderer is a surprise, which is always a nice thing.  I did enjoy reading this book and look forward to the next, waiting to see what lies in store for Molly and her friends.  Recommended.

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



More on Betty Hechtman's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/
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Wednesday, March 9, 2022

On the Hook (A Crochet Mystery Book 12)

Author:    Betty Hechtman
Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781683315650; 978168337982
Crooked Lane Books
336 Pages
$4.94; $15.95; $12.99 Amazon
May 8, 2018

⭐⭐⭐⭐


Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers are busy crocheting baby blankets for charity, but before long, they're tangled up in a mystery that may be their unraveling.  The Hookers are a tight-knit group, but some of the members harbor secret aspirations.  Adele dreams of becoming an actress, and her acting coach has filled her head with promises of a career as a crochet show host.  Elise Belmont has earned her real estate license and is itching to show her first house.  But when the house's tenant turns up dead from a pink squirrel cocktail laced with cyanide, the Hookers could be in double trouble.

It turns out that the dead man was Adele's acting coach, Timothy Clark.  And Molly gets wound up in the case after accidentally leaving a scarf she designed at the murder scene.  Detective Barry Greenberg, one of Molly's exes, quickly stitches together that the scarf is hers.  Lawyer Mason Fields (another of Molly's exes) has her head swimming in legalese.  For Molly, the only way out is by learning who really killed Timothy, and why.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Molly Pink is assistant manager at Shedd & Royal Books & More.  She's also their event coordinator, and a member of the Tarzana Hookers, a group of women who crochet together, usually making gifts for charity.  Her friend Elise Belmont confides that she has secretly gotten her real estate license -- because her husband Logan didn't want her to, thinking it might ruin his reputation as a realtor -- and wants to sell a house so she can show him that she's just as good as he is.  Conveniently, another friend (and both members of the hookers) Adele wants a home where she and her new husband can have some privacy away from his mother, because the three live in a condo together.

So Elise has a house she wants to show Adele, and Adele insists that Molly come along.  The three head out to an exclusive neighborhood, and shortly after arriving, Elise hustles them out because she received a text from her husband stating that he was going to show homes, and she's afraid that this will be the first one on the list.  However, in the rush, Molly's custom-made scarf (by her) is left behind.  And when Logan discovers the dead body of the owner, Timothy Clark, in the downstairs, it now becomes a crime scene.

When Detective Barry Greenberg -- Molly's ex -- realizes the scarf is hers, he tries to get her to admit it, but she won't, because she's promised Elise that she won't mention the visit to anyone.  Now she's stuck in the middle of another murder investigation, tap dancing around Barry, and asking another ex, criminal attorney Mason Fields, for help.  Then Molly starts receiving threatening notes, and she knows someone is watching her.  But are they real or just someone trying to get her to stop asking questions?  Unless Molly's careful, she might find that she's the next one in line to die...

This is the tenth book in the series, and I have read each one of them.  While some have been better than most, I did find that I enjoyed this one quite a bit.  Yes, it was definitely filled with Molly still trying to figure out if she wants a relationship or not, but having read them all, I understand her reasonings.  If others haven't, I understand their confusion.  While I absolutely hate love triangles, at least this wasn't exactly filled with that.

What I didn't like about the book is Molly's family just deciding to come over whenever they wanted and turn her house into a rehearsal hall.  She has enough problems at her home as it is.  Also, she should have gotten Barry's key when they broke up, and the worst is Adele - who somehow has gotten more annoying as the books go on.  Enough with the over-the-top crochet outfits.  Even I, a woman who loves to crochet, wouldn't even think of wearing it as everyday wear.  You actually would look ridiculous.  Also, why was Elise's husband calling her to tell her that he was showing a home?  Did he do this on a regular basis?  Check in with her every time he had a client?  It seemed odd...

At any rate, other than this, the book was interesting enough to keep me reading, and there were some fun scenes throughout.  But it seemed that some characters were bashing marriage, and I didn't understand that at all.  Marriage is compromise and respect for the other person, and you have to learn how to give and take.  If you don't do that, nothing about it will work at all.  Hopefully, her characters will learn how to do this.

As you can tell, this wasn't one of my favorites of the series but it was still very good.  However, as others have stated, the ending was odder than other books, with Molly telling us the fate of the people in the acting classes that Timothy gave (as if we really care about it) and the murderer came out of left field.  I prefer that we at least get a few clues here and there.  All in all, a nice cozy if you want to relax, but nothing too involved.  There are also crochet patterns in the back for those who are interested.

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



More on Betty Hechtman's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/
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Monday, March 7, 2022

Bound by Murder (An Antique Bookshop Mystery #3)

Author:    Laura Gail Black
Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781639100965
Crooked Lane Books
288 Pages
$26.99; $13.99 Amazon
September 6, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


The birds are singing, books are selling, and the Hokes Bluff Inn has begun to host weddings on its property.  Antiquarian bookseller Jenna Quinn loves the romance in the air -- until her ex-fiancé, Blake Emerson, walks in with his bride-to-be, Missy Plott.  Blake continues to profess his love for Jenna if she'll have him back, no matter the consequences.  And the the consequences are grave, indeed, when Missy turns up dead.

All evidence points to Blake, who was the last one to see her alive.  He begs Jenna to help him clear his name.  Blakes mother, Gwendolyn, is also bent on exonerating her son.  Jenna doesn't believe Blake could have killed Missy, and she starts digging for suspects.  If could have been Missy's ex-boyfriend, who proclaims a love for her he says only death could sever.  Or might it have been Missy's bitter little sister, who was secretly besotted with Missy's ex?

Evidence turns up that links Missy's death to embezzlement and another murder -- crimes that had falsely implicated Jenna herself less than a year ago.  As Gwendolyn continues to beg Jenna to help prove her son's innocence, Jenna wonders if Blake could truly be innocent.

Jenna has to choose whether to risk it all -- her reputation, her growing relationship with her boyfriend, and maybe her life -- or let a possibly innocent man go to prison.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Jenna Quinn, after being unfairly accused of embezzlement and murder in another city, moved here to take over her murdered uncle's (another story) bookstore.  Now a proud business owner in town, she's made friends and even has a new boyfriend that's a detective on the police force.  All seems well in her world until one day her ex-fiancé Blake Emerson walks into her bookstore with his new fiancée, Missy Plott, who was a co-worker at their company.  

But when Missy starts harassing her, Jenna can't wait to get them out the door.  But things aren't over that easy --  Blake keeps returning, trying to speak with her.  He even goes so far as to seem to be stalking her.  Jenna doesn't want anything to do with the man who handed her a key to a storage unit where her things were kept the day she was released from jail; yet he won't let it go.  Even when he's not around, Missy and her friends are there to keep Jenna's life in turmoil.

When 'accidents' start to befall Jenna, she's angry; but it gets worse when the body of Missy is found behind a dumpster.  And when the police arrest Blake for the murder, Jenna knows the man is a worm, but she also knows he's not capable of murder.  Now things are escalating as Blake's mother begs her for help and Jenna's boyfriend Keith has a fight with her.  Will she be able to find the real murderer?    Will her relationship with Keith take a dark turn?  Or will Jenna manage to stay away from a killer this time?...

This is the third book in the series and I have read all of them.  I do think that this one is the best of the three.  It not only gives us more insight into Jenna's past, but also the reasons that she is the way she is with her insecurities.  It also shows us how strong friendships with others work.  The love is there, not only with her friends, but with Keith as well.  It's a very good story with a very good mystery.

The clues are difficult to find, but I did love this book anyway.  The plot, as I stated above, is very good.  We have plenty of suspects, from friends to relatives, and most of them have a reason to want Missy out of the picture.  There is a lot going on, but it is the conversations between the characters that pull us into the story and keep us riveted to the page.  This is what writing is about.  Conversations that tell the story, along with action.  These conversations are telling, heartfelt, and chilling, depending upon who is speaking.

And what a storyteller Ms. Black is, in this tale.  It is one of the best I have read in a very long time, and gives me reason to want to read the next in the series immediately (please).  When the murderer is revealed, the reason is rather sad but nonetheless twisted all the same.  All in all, a very good mystery that one can 'dig your teeth into' and come out smiling.  Highly recommended.

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



More on Laura Gail Black's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/laura-gail-black/
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Friday, March 4, 2022

Muddled Through (A Maine Clambake Mystery Book 10)

Author:    Barbara Ross
Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:    9781496735690
Kensington Publishing
288 Pages
$8.99; $6.99 Amazon
June 28, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Mud season takes on a whole new meaning in the coastal town of Busman's Harbor, Maine, when local business owners sling dirt at one another in a heated feud over a proposed pedestrian mall.  Vandalism is one thing, but murder means Julia Snowden of the Snowden Family Clambake steps in to clean up the case...

When Julia spots police cars in front of Lupine Design, she races over.  Her sister Livvie works there as a potter.  Livvie is unharmed but surrounded by smashed up pottery.  The police find the owner Zoey Butterfield digging clay by a nearby bay, but she has no idea who would target her store.  Zoey is a vocal advocate for turning four blocks of Main Street into a pedestrian mall on summer weekends.  Other shop owners, including her next-door neighbor are vehemently opposed.  Could a small-town fight provoke such destruction?  When a murder follows the break-in, it's up to Julia to dig through the secrets and lies to uncover the truth...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Julia Snowden helps her family run the Snowden Family Clambake in later spring and summer, when it's warm enough to go out to Morrow Island, which they own.  But during the winter and early spring, she's at a loss.  Having recently broken up with her long-time boyfriend Chris and moved back home with her mother, she's lonely and wondering how to fill her days.  One morning she sees police cars in front of Lupine Designs, where her sister Livvie works in the off-season, and hopes she's alright.  

When she arrives, Livvie is fine, but someone has broken into the pottery shop and destroyed everything in view.  When the owner, Zoey Butterfield, arrives, she has no idea who would vandalize her shop...unless it might be her neighbor Finney, who shares part of the building as an antique store and dislikes Zoey.  But there's no proof, so Zoey is stumped.  Later that evening Julia attends a town meeting where Zoey is in favor of a pedestrian mall on the weekends to bring in more business, but many of the townspeople are against it.  This only agitates the problems between Zoey and her neighbors.

When, soon after, a body is found in Zoey's basement, the state police -- Lieutenant Binder and Sergeant Flynn -- think Zoey is a prime suspect, and Livvie asks for Julia's help in proving her innocence.  But Julia will need more to go on, since she knows next-to-nothing about Zoey.  Where is she from?  Who are her people?  What motives did she have?  And more importantly, did she do it?

On top of this, everyone -- including Julia -- is wondering where her personal life is going now that Chris isn't in her life anymore.  It's obvious there are some men interested in her, but will Julia go down that path, or put it on the back burner for now?  And will she discover who the murderer might be before it's too late for another person?...

This is the tenth book in the series, and I have read them all, looking forward to each one with practical glee.  Each book gets better than the former, and this one is no different.  Julia is on her own this time out, without Chris in her life, and her family wants to help her -- even if she doesn't want it.  When the murder occurs, it's only natural that Julia's innate curiosity -- and cleverness -- get her moving in on the investigation.  By this time Binder and Flynn have given up telling her to leave it alone, knowing she isn't going to, but aren't giving her information without anything in return, either.  A quid pro quo situation, if you will.

So we have Julia trying to find out more about the elusive Zoey Butterfield, who doesn't appear to be letting the murder bother her; staying calm and collected.  Julia wonders why this is so, and starts digging into Zoey's past, with surprising results.  She also does her best at quietly questioning people who might have known the deceased well, with more surprising results coming from that quarter, too.

But what starts out as a murder investigation becomes much more so, with threads scattered throughout the mystery, and each one leading to another until we have a tangle of them, all sizes and shapes, that need to be pulled out and woven into something resembling answers.  Julia is an expert at this, and it's fun watching her put everything together in only the way she can.

I absolutely adore this series, and all the characters within.  There are some surprising things around the corner for Julia, too; and I won't say any more about this except that I think it will be something worth waiting for in the next book.  When the murderer is discovered, the motive is both rather twisted and sad, and is never worth the price that one has to pay.  I eagerly look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

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



More on Barbara Ross's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/barbara-ross/
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A Holiday for Homicide

Cook-Off Mysteries Book 9 Author:     Devon Delaney Genre:      Mystery Paperback; Digital Book ISBN #:     9781960511867 Beyond The Page Pu...