Black Cat Comes Back

The Accidental Ghost Detective Prequel

Author:    Emmie Lyn

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0CW1H2BJN

Tule Publishing

83 Pages

$.99 Amazon

September 23, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm Audrey Fernsby, just a ghost of my former self floating around Moonlight Mansion in Frog Hollow, Georgia.  My death was ruled accidental...but nothing is farther from the truth.

When my precious black cat, Mocha, returns on the same night that two friends, Tilly and Sunny, arrive from Maine, I plan to out my ghostly self and enlist their clever sleuthing capabilities.

Mocha knows the truth but can she help catch the killer before someone else ends up dead in my rose bushes?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Audrey Fernsby is -- was -- the owner of Moonlight Mansion B&B in Frog Hollow, Georgia.  That's before someone unceremoniously did away with her one night about a month ago.  But her friend Tilly, and Tilly's friend, Sunny, don't know that.  Tilly has been summoned by a letter from Audrey -- whom she hadn't heard from in years -- asking for help.  Unfortunately, they've arrived too late.  But still early enough to help Audrey, who's a ghost.

Yes, a ghost, who has been waiting for them, so she can ask their help in discovering who killed her.  The people who were there that fateful night will be once again with them for the reading of the will.  And it's not going to be pretty...

I usually don't read prequels (for my own reasons), but this one had me interested, and since I love the series, I thought I'd give it a shot.  I wasn't really surprised at the writing, since Ms. Lyn is a talented writer; but the contents are what I found intriguing.  

Moonlight Mansion is described in detail, as is part of Audrey's life we don't get to see in the future books, as she's, well, a ghost.  But it gives insight as well on her friend Birdie, and now Tilly.  I'd love to hear more about that ocean voyage so long ago, but that's for another time.

Audrey's cat Mocha has been missing since Audrey died, but shows up when the two women arrive.  And of all things, loves to spend time with Sunny, which is strange because no one but Audrey could touch her.  And Mocha knows who the killer is.  So now the three women must try and ferret out a killer, using only their wits, which, luckily, are aplenty...

This was a delightful read, and I enjoyed it very much.  The ending was unexpected, and I will say no more than that since this is a short book, but worth it all.  If you haven't read the Accidental Ghost Detective series, you should do so, and this book will send you on your way.  Highly recommended.

\

I was given a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Comes-Accidental-Ghost-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CW1H2BJN/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6874968121

More on Emmie Lyn's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/emmie-lyn/

The Happy Housekeeper's Guide to Theft (A Barbara Hollis Murder Mystery #3)

Author:    Blythe Baker

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9798879148008

Independently Published

169 Pages

$12.99; $4.99 Amazon

February 14, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Barbara Hollis has barely settled into the sleepy little town where her brother is sheriff, when a shocking crime rocks the community.  Thanks to a peculiar new friend she has made an an unexpected prize she has won at a plasticware party, Barbara finds herself dragged into a dangerous mystery,.

Can she uncover the identity of a murderer and track down a jewelry store thief, while navigating a confusing acquaintance with a handsome restaurant owner who just a little too charming for anyone's good?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Barbara Hollis moved from the big city to her hometown of Cobbsville, Georgia, to help her widowed sheriff brother take care of his twin boys.  But that's not the only reason she left, although no one knows there was another.  She's also slowly making friends, and one day a woman approaches her to ask if she'll come to her plasticware party.  Since her friend Vicky will be there, Barbara agrees.  But during the party, everyone notices that the hostess, Delores, seems a bit 'off' although no one wants to say anything.

Barbara wins a prize, and when she returns home, she discovers that one of the containers she's won holds a large amount of cash.  Wondering what to do, she consults Vicky and they formulate a plan.  But Barbara also learns that the local jeweler, Frankie Webber, has been murdered and his store has been robbed.  Barbara now has two dilemmas, and she vows to help her brother solve the crime -- even if he doesn't want her to.  It's nearing Halloween, and her nephews are at an aunt and uncle's, so she has the time on her hands.  What could go wrong?...

This is the third installment in the mystery series, and I enjoyed it very much.  These are fairly short reads, which is fine; although you're not given a lot of character development, you are given a nice mystery to read.  The author does fine in setting the scene and creating a believable scenario; the characters are done well enough that they are likeable (at least the main characters), and this is a plus.  I do, however, wish Barbara would let us know why she left Liberty City; it's a tad annoying to read three of these and still be in the dark.  Was it worth leaving?  I, for one, would like to know.

Aside from that, I enjoyed the storyline as written, and I found that the murderer's reason for the killing was the same as all -- from the beginning of time -- and made sense, at least in their own mind, if not to the rest of us!  All in all, an enjoyable story from an enjoyable author and I plan to read the next.  Recommended.

\https://www.amazon.com/Housekeepers-Barbara-Hollis-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CS3BNDSN/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6727411625

More on Blythe Baker's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/blythe-baker/

The Happy Housekeeper's Guide to Arson (A Barbara Hollis Murder Mystery #2)

Author:    Blythe Baker

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798875742859

Independently Published

242 Pages

$12.99 Amazon

January 15, 2024

⭐⭐⭐

Suspicion.  Lies.  Murder.  Barbara Hollis didn't expect to encounter any of these in small town life.  With a murky past to hide from, moving to quiet little Cobbsville was supposed to be a perfect escape.  But a neighbor who has her own dangerous secret to conceal soon becomes as big a threat as the crazed lunatic who is setting fire to houses around town...

Even as a terrible new doubt surfaces against her brother, Barbara is intrigued by an attractive new acquaintance who happens to be the local mayor.  But will one more distraction prove welcome...or deadly?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Barbara Hollis left the big city to move back home and live with her widowed brother, taking care of his twelve-year-old twins and keep house.  Her past is behind her, and she's looking forward to a new future.  Unfortunately, she's already been involved in one murder, and wants to forget it.  But when she is running errands one day she comes upon a burning house, and with the owner being taken to the hospital, her inquisitive nature wonders if it's not arson.  While the fire department deems it an accident, she's not so sure...

She also meets the handsome mayor, who seems to take a liking to her, and asks her out.  But there are problems with their date, and she's not sure about the man, even though her brother, the police chief, warns her away.  She's an adult, right?  Also, what was her neighbor doing in the middle of the night?  Barbara finds it suspicious, but doesn't know how to ask her without seeming to be prying (which she would be).

Who knew there would be so many questions in a sleepy town like Cobbsville?  Not Barbara...

This is the second book in the series, and I really enjoyed the first one.  This one, not so much.  There were too many unanswered questions, and I also would really like to know why she left Liberty City.  There's not even a hint of why anywhere in these first two books.

Saying that, I found that the issues with her neighbor added nothing to the story except to fill pages.  They had nothing to do with the murder, so why was it in there?  Same as with her dating.  Because of this, we were given less to think about with the arson, and the ending seemed like it was thrown in to finish the story.

Still, I will read the next in the series to see if any of this goes anywhere -- and if we learn anything about why she moved back home.

https://www.amazon.com/Housekeepers-Barbara-Hollis-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CQZCZG75/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6576962341

More on Blythe Baker's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/blythe-baker/

The Happy Housekeeper's Guide to Homicide (A Barbara Hollis Mystery #1)

Author:    Blythe Baker

Genre:     Mystery/Historical

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798873064908

Independently Published

242 Pages

$12.99; $3.99 Amazon

December 26, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bloody murder is the last thing on Barbara Hollis's mind when she agrees to travel to a sleepy little town to keep house for her widowed brother.  Aside from chasing after her irritating young nephews, she thinks the biggest challenge she'll face is learning to cook a proper souffle.  But a bizarre encounter on a train quickly draws her into a more complicated and dangerous future than she bargained for...

When a local woman turns up dead, and Barbara's sheriff brother is too inept to solve the case, Barbara finds herself joining forces with a handsome deputy in search of a cold-blooded killer.  But her new hometown is crawling with secrets, and Barbara just might discover that unmasking one villain is only scratching the surface...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Barbara Hollis left the big city to go to a small town in Georgia to keep house for her widowed brother and his two twelve-year-old twin boys.  She's sure that she's not going to like it much, but since she left behind her luxury apartment and lost her job, she hasn't got much of a choice.  It's a good thing her brother Craig doesn't know the reason she left, as she doesn't want to discuss it.

But when she arrives, she's a bit downcast, since her room is smaller than she imagined, and she thinks she'll be bored here.  So she decides to give herself a spa day and heads to the only hair salon in town, Sharon's.  Since no one is out front, she spots a woman under a hair dryer, and wishes she didn't.  The young woman is dead, and at that opportune moment, Sharon arrives and starts screaming.  After Barbara calls Craig, she waits to be questioned by his deputy -- who wonders if she killed the young woman.  

But Craig will have none of it, and the town over arrests Sharon for the murder.  Neither Craig nor Barbara believe it (even though she's just met the stylist); and Barbara decides to surreptitiously help her brother by gathering clues.  It might not be her greatest idea, but if she can avoid the killer in town that she knows is still loose, she might be able to find them.  Unless they find her first...

This is the first in the series, and I thought it sounded interesting, so I wanted to read it.  First off, I must say that the blurb is wrong.  Craig is not inept; he's just never dealt with a murder before, and the town's police department consists of him and his deputy. He just believes the other town would be better equipped to handle it, and he comes to regret his decision quickly.

Secondly, I really had no idea that this took place in the 1950's while reading it.  I did wonder about the lack of cell phones, but aside from descriptions of a few cars, there wasn't really anything that pointed to the year this takes place.  So that was the reason I took off one star.  In future books I would like to read about some of the things occurring during that time; something to draw us into the story timeline. 

Other than that, I found this interesting, even if it was a short book.  I would like to see more character development, but in stories this short, you aren't going to get much of that.  However, I am not dinging the author for it, since I died enjoy reading this quite a bit.  In fact, I read it in one sitting, and I hope that others will enjoy it as much as I did.  In the climax, it all came together quickly, and everything was tied up nicely.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Housekeepers-Homicide-Barbara-Hollis-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CQZCDM57/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6305678063

More on Blythe Baker's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/blythe-baker/

Petals and A Poison (The Accidental Ghost Detective Book 6)

Author:    Emmie Lyn

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0CT7NFGD6

The Cozy Mystery Cafe (Whiskered Mysteries)

176 Pages

$4.99 Amazon

January 31, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Does this award-winning flower garden hide a sinister secret?

After the Frog Hollow Garden Tour announces the winner of this year's contest, all that's left is to enjoy a delicious banquet with friends and neighbors.  But the evening takes a chilling turn when my dog Dash discovers a body near the garden's beautiful pond.

What was meant to be a night of celebration soon blossoms into a true crime scene.  As we try to weed out the culprit, every clue points to my good witchy pal, Pearl, especially when her pet peacock is found nesting in a patch of poisonous plants.

Can Dash and the Accidental Ghost Detective team unearth this garden of secrets and restore tranquility to Frog Hollow before the poison finds its next victim?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Nikki Knight inherited her aunt Audrey's B&B when the woman was killed.  What she didn't know, however, is that she also inherited the ghost of Audrey, too, along with her quirky attorney friend and cook Birdie.  Not to mention having acquired a talking Dachshund named Dash (for short), her best friend Lacey, and a witch named Pearl whose spells always seem to come out wonky.

When she attends the garden party for Pearl, who has won this year's award for best garden, she doesn't expect to find another body.  Well, technically, Dash found the body.  She just followed him.  Unfortunately, it was the head of the committee, and Nikki has discovered that the woman regretted giving Pearl the award.  When Detective Mallory Paine arrives, she finds that the woman was poisoned, and since it might have been from something in Pearl's garden, she becomes the prime suspect.  But Nikki and her friends refuse to believe that Pearl could kill anyone.

So naturally they start their own investigation to discover a killer -- and if they can stay under the radar while rescuing an angry peacock, they just might stay alive and keep Pearl out of jail...

I must say that I really enjoy this series.  In order to read fantasy, you need to leave your logic at the door.  It's delightful enough that I can willingly step into the world of Nikki Knight and follow along as she (and Dash) sniff out clues to solve a murder.  In fact, without Dash by her side, Nikki might have a harder time than she does.

This time out, she has another problem: her relationship with the mystery writer Luc.  While she's growing fond of him (to say the least) she also wonders if she needs to let him into her world.  Will he stay or run?  What a conundrum to have, right?

Looking at all the clues, she comes to the realization that someone is framing Pearl for the crime.  Is it one of the other gardeners or the new head of committee?  Or someone who was at the party?  As it all heats up, the last clues from from an unexpected source, and we watch while Nikki puts it all together and sets the trap, hoping her fish will bite...

All in all, I loved the stories and the characters, and I can't wait to visit Frog Hollow, Georgia again.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Petals-Poison-Accidental-Ghost-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CT7NFGD6/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6260380010

More on Emmie Lyn's Books:      https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/emmie-lyn/   

A Case of Garden Bones (Willow Cove Mysteries, Book 1)

Author:    Lily Rose Lane

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0BSTBT91N

Whiskered Mysteries

176 Pages

$2.99 Amazon

January 30, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aubrey Rose here.  After three short years of marriage, I'm single and back in Willow Cove...living with my mother as co-owner of a bed and breakfast.

I knew there would be surprises in store but the handyman's dog unearthing human bones in the rose garden wasn't on my list.  The town police chief isn't concerned about the remains and the locals aren't talking.

The handyman, Gavin, is my only help in solving this mystery.

As we dig up new clues, more town secrets are revealed,  Maybe these bones, and the enigma surrounding them, should have remained buried.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Aubrey Rose, after three short years of marriage to a cheating husband, returns home to Willow Cove, Georgia, to help her widowed mother run the town's B&B.  When their handyman Gavin's dog Curly digs up some bones in the rose garden, they discover they're human.  But when the sheriff doesn't seem to care about the case, the two decide to form a partnership to find out who was killed and why.  After all, if it wasn't murder, why would they be buried there?

But no one in town seems to know who they are, and if they do, they aren't telling Aubrey.  So they take what little clues they have, and try to find out the truth.  Aubrey also discovers that the handyman she thought she hated isn't so bad, and they have more in common than she could ever have imagined...

This is the first book in a new series, and I must say that I enjoyed it quite a bit.  Ms. Lane is a talented writer, and she's given her first turn in the cozy mystery genre an interesting twist.  Yes, the protagonist has returned home penniless and in need, but the mystery is gleaning clues throughout the book, and using each one to fill out the truth.

It's a fun read, and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.  The beginning of this series gives the murder a twist that no one might have seen coming (I only did because I read a lot of these); and is worth sitting down and taking a chance on this book.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

I was given an advance copy through the author and Booksprout, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Case-Garden-Bones-Willow-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0BSTBT91N/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5311674218

More on Lily Rose Lane's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lily-Rose-Lane/author/B09TJXBNVN?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref

Hints and a Homicide (The Accidental Ghost Detective Book 3)

Author:    Emmie Lyn

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0BCXC24VC

Whiskered Mysteries

145 Pages

$3.99 Amazon

October 3, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nikki Knight and the Accidental Ghost Detective Agency should be getting ready for the mystery writers retreat at the Moonlight Mansion.

But when something other than Birdie's pecan scones is found in the dining room, everyone is on the case.

With the appearance of one of the attendees' dearly departed's body, Nikki, Dash, Audrey, Birdie, and Lacey are in a race against the clock to identify whodunnit in a room full of people who write this stuff for a living.

Not to mention a new detective sniffing around the case, more so than Danger Dog.

In the idyllic town of Frog Hollow, Georgia, there is never a dull moment, but the bonds of family and friendship are as strong as roots sunk deep into the Georgia clay.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Nikki Knight inherited her grandmother Audrey's B&B, Moonlight Mansion, she didn't also expect to inherit Audrey's ghost.  But she did.  She also has a talking Dachshund, Dash, who believes he's royalty and acts like it.  Along with her cook, Birdie, and her best friend Lacey, they've formed the Accidental Ghost Detective Agency, to solve the occasional murder.

But Nikki didn't expect to trip over the dead body in her dining room.  Now she wants to know who hated a famous author enough to want to kill him.  And when a new detective in town makes it known that she dislikes Nikki, it doesn't help her situation much.  But Audrey insists they have an obligation to the dead man in order to get their B&B on the right track.  But with a killer in their midst, it isn't going to be easy...

This is the third book in the series and I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely.  Nikki is a great character, able to hold her own and think quick in situations calling for it.  She doesn't knowingly run into danger, and tries to keep her investigations on the down low, so as not to irritate Detective Paine, even if she deserves it.

With the help of her inquisitive and talkative Dachshund Dash, he helps her in her queries as he acts as her eyes and ears around people she suspects, gathering his own form of 'doggy information.'  The interaction between the two is quite humorous as well.

With the many suspects staying at the mansion, Nikki is looking for anyone who had a motive.  But when she receives information from an unlikely source, it seems all of the people who are attending the retreat are guilty of wanting the man dead.  But for Nikki, it's only a matter of time before one of them gives themselves away, and she's planning on sticking close to them until they do.

The ending is rather bittersweet, for killers have their own reasonings for murder; and still, the ending was perfect for this book.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Hints-Homicide-Accidental-Ghost-Detective-ebook/dp/B0BCXC24VC/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5024249254

More on Emmie Lyn's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/emmie-lyn/

Southern Peach Pie and a Dead Guy (Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 1

Author:    A. Gardner

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798550073230

Independently Published

240 Pages

$12.99; $4.99 Amazon

September 9, 2020

⭐⭐

A sudden midlife crisis leads Poppy across the country to a charming, yet deadly, pastry school in the heart of southern Georgia.

Gathering the courage to follow in her grandmother's footsteps, Poppy tosses her fear of carbs and soggy pastry bottoms aside and dives head first into learning the art of pastry.  But she has her work cut out for her not only fitting in with her charming (and not-so-charming) classmates, but also proving her worth to her instructors after her first publicly humiliating attempt at making the school's famous peach pie.  And that's not all.  Amongst her peers is a thief...and a murderer.

If Poppy is going to survive her culinary experience, she'll have to prove her innocence all while honing her baking skills to compete in the school's dessert competition for a coveted overseas internship.

Can Poppy prove she's one tough cookie?  Or is her life about to crumble?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Poppy Peters has decided to enter culinary school, but not everyone wants her there.  Still, she's met a nice guy named Cole who seems to be on her side, and even after a cooking fiasco, she's still willing to take the chance.  But then things are stolen and someone is killed, and she just might be suspected of murder.  Poppy has to clear her name while keeping away from the real murderer...

Oh, my.  There are so many things wrong with this book, the first beginning with the way it's written.  I absolutely detest first person as-they-are-doing-it, as I refer to it.  Such as: "I am going to the store now.  I am parking my car and entering the store.  I grab a cart and am putting tomatoes in it."  I just hate it.  I don't really care what the person is doing right now.  I don't care if they're going to the bathroom or washing their hands.  We know they do it; everyone does.  But if you write in first person, it's so much nicer to read: "I went to the store and picked up a few things."  So there's my rant on that.

Plus, has this person ever been to cooking school?  Or even watched a cooking competition on television?  You call anyone your superior 'chef.'  You bring your own tools.  You wear a uniform and a hat.  These are simple things that could have been discovered by watching the Food Network.  Do a little research and the book is better.

It got to the point that I could not finish the book, and I really didn't care who the murderer was.  I did skim to the end and found that they were all making desserts they'd grown up on.  Shouldn't competitions be making something new?  Just sayin'...

Anyway, I wasn't impressed by this book and probably won't read another because of the narration.  Sorry.

https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Peach-Poppy-Peters-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B08HS9WVCL/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4711449149

More on A. Gardner's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/a-gardner/

Reading Between the Crimes (A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery #2)

Author:    Kate Young

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781643857428

Crooked Lane Books

336 Pages

$25.99; $13.99 Amazon

September 7, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What better time than Halloween to dig into a bracing discussion of a diabolical murder mystery?  And what better choice for the Jane Doe Book Club than Agatha Christie's Crooked House?  Lyla Moody and her friends are soon embroiled in debate over whether the heroine's actions are particularly believable.  But not long after the meeting, sleepy Sweet Mountain, Georgia, is rocked by a murder that uncannily echoes the novel in question.

When Lyla and her grandmother arrive at the charity event that Lyla's mother is hosting, they barely have time to hang up their jackets before they stumble upon a body in the library.  Leonard Richardson, it seems, was robbed and then hit over the head with a brass candlestick -- which throws suspicion on Harper Richardson, his young widow and a friend of the Jane Does.

Lyla and the rest of the Jane Does pool their prodigious intellects to clear Harper's name.  Peculiarly, all of the clues seem to have been lifted directly from the plot of Crooked House. But as Lyla probes the pages of Christie's classic whodunit for hints on catching the killer, she uncovers secrets from her mother's past -- secrets that suggest Lyla's own house may be crooked as well.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lyla Moody works for her uncle Calvin's private investigation agency, working to become a PI herself.  When she's not working, she spends some time with her book club, the Jane Does, who discuss mystery books.  One of their part-time members is Harper Richardson, who seems to be having trouble of her own.  It doesn't help that there's a mysterious writer in town, and he's garnering attention from people who would rather he wasn't there.

After one of their meetings, Lyla and her Gran head over to Lyla's mother's home, where Frances Moody is hosting a charity event.  But they aren't there long before Gran stumbles upon a body, and Lyla recognizes the man as Leonard Richardson, Harper's husband.  When Harper is targeted for the murder, Lyla and her fellow book club members know they have to prove her innocence.  But doing so isn't going to be easy.

Harper's family members are overly strange -- to say the least -- and her mother has become a woman she's never seen before, scared and a ghost of herself.  Also, the writer, Charles, is making a pest of himself, and her even Calvin, who's normally unflappable, seems rattled and warns Lyla to stay clear of Charles.  When there's an incident and in the process of helping Lyla is purposefully attacked, she wants to know who's doing it.  But when she starts to dig, she discovers that there are secrets that are better left alone -- and they're coming to the surface...

First off, I must say that this book has nothing to do with Halloween, as the blurb states.  Saying that, this is the second book in the series, and I found it completely riveting.  The story is one of secrets held, both old and new, and people who are not what they seem.  Curiosity kept me reading, but I found a familiarity in it, only for where I live, and have been near people like this more than once.  (Although not as strange as the characters in the book).

It's difficult to write a review without giving away too much of this plot; for it is a story that connects one thread to another, and another; until all the threads pull it together giving us a final story that was long buried and should have remained so.  

The ending was as surprising as an ending could be; the killer was most of all.  What we know we really don't; and what we see isn't always what is there.  The author has done an excellent job of this tale, and I eagerly look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Between-Crimes-Jane-Mystery/dp/1643857428/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4511799545

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

Fixation & Fraud (A ChiroCozy Mystery Book 3)

Author:    Cathy Tully

Genre:     Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781736446744

Visions & Revisions Unlimited

290 Pages

$11.99; $3.99 Amazon

August 25, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A hound, a hog and a homicide.

It's Thanksgiving and foul play has been served along with dessert.  Though Dr. Susannah Shine expected a relaxing holiday, the mysteries keep piling up.  A stranger is found dead, a stray dog appears in the dark, and a precocious pig calls at her door. 

With BFF Bitsy's Grandpa as a primary suspect, Susannah must figure out who killed the real estate agent, while juggling the demands of an A-List actress who is paying extra to keep her chiropractic treatments secret.

With all clues leading to Grandpa's Pecan orchard, Susannah, Bitsy, and Little Junior parlay a porker's visit to the vet into the undercover adventure of the century.  Or at least of the last week.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

All Dr. Susannah Shine wants for Thanksgiving is to be left alone.  Just a few hours to herself so she can unwind and relax.  But her best friend Bitsy doesn't think that's a good idea, and before you know it, Susannah is at the home of the Long clan, and enjoying Thanksgiving with a horde of people. 

Bitsy has other things on her mind, too; she wants to make the best dessert for the family and has been using Susannah for a guinea pig.  She also wants to find Hogzilla, a giant hog that's supposedly out in the woods.  But first she needs to gather some pecans, so her grandmother lends her and Susannah her 'pecan picker', and they go to the Long's orchard to gather.  Unfortunately, all they gather is a dead man lying up against a tree.  Now Susannah is once again involved in a murder, much to the annoyance of the police.  

Then a stray hound shows up at Susannah's, along with a pot-bellied pig, and Bitsy decides to keep the pig, making things more of a mess than they already are.  But with the main suspect being Grandpa, Bitsy and Susannah have no intention of allowing the detective to nail the wrong man for the crime, so they figure out their own plan, hoping to nab a killer before he or she gets wind of it...

This is the third book in the series and just as funny as the first two.  When the animals show up practically on Susannah's doorstep, Bitsy decides what she's wanted all her life was a pig, and proceeds to name her, taking her everywhere.  The dog isn't trained much better, trying to escape his leash and outrun everyone.  But Susannah has bigger fish to fry: catching a killer who's willing to let an old man go to jail for their crime.  Unfortunately, the police are keeping their eye on her and don't want her anywhere near the investigation.

But Bitsy has eyes and ears everywhere, and a grand plan.  Once they discover the dead man was a real estate agent who was working with her cousin Stella, they find out his name and determine that he had sinister motives of his own.  So Bitsy decides to go undercover and over the top and drags Susannah right along with her.  What ensues is a one hilarious scene and quite a few others along the way, most of them having to do with a pig.

Then things get hotter at home, and Susannah knows she's on the right trail.  She's also trying to treat her celebrity client, but things aren't perfect in that area, either.  When everything comes to a head, there's a major meltdown, an unexpected addition, and Susannah faces what might be the most desperate situation of her life.  What comes out of it is a book that is both invigorating and interesting, and so much fun to read.  I loved this book and can't wait for the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Fixation-Fraud-ChiroCozy-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B09CP3HL2D/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4210662484

More on Cathy Tully's Books:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4210662484

Peaches and Schemes (A Georgia B&B Mystery #3)

Author:    Anna Gerard

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781643855844

Crooked Lane Books

304 Pages

$22.99; $13.99 Amazon

May 11, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nina Fleet might be new to the innkeeping business, but she's savvy enough to know that Cymbeline's tourists aren't enough to keep her fledgling bed and breakfast going.  And so, Nina decides to tap into the destination wedding market by taking a booth at the Veils and Vanities Bridal Expo.  The twice-yearly event is sponsored by the town's two wedding pros: Virgie Hamilton, the sixty-something owner of Virgie's Formals, and Roxanna Quarry, a Gen X event planner and Nina's new friend.  But everything goes wrong during the expo's fashion show, when Roxana comes tumbling out of an oversized prop wedding cake, strangled to death by her own scarf.

Virgie is arrested for the crime, thanks to Nina's statement to the police about having overheard the woman accusing her partner of embezzlement.  Meanwhile, the situation grows tense with her sometimes nemesis and current tenant, the dashing out-of-work actor Harry Westcott.  Harry is concentrating on plugging his most recent side hustle...but he's not too busy to break the news to Nina that her ex-husband is engaged to be married again.

Certain that Virgie's only offense is a bad temper, Nina decides to do her own investigating.  First, however, she and Harry retrieve Roxanna's now ownerless dog, planning to foster him until a new home can be found.  But local gossip soon convinces Nina that others beside Virgie might have had a reason to murder Roxanna.  As Nina gets close to the truth, she's putting her own life at danger.  And when Virgie vanishes after being bailed out of jail by an unknown benefactor, Nina fears that if she can't find the dress shop owner in time, tying the knot will take on a whole new meaning for them both.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Nina Fleet owns a Georgia B&B in the small town of Cymbelline.  Her constant tenant is Harry Westcott, an out-of-work actor whom she's allowed to live for free in the tower room, where he spent summers as a child when the large Queen Anne Victorian belonged to his late aunt.  While her business is thriving, she figures it could always use help, and signs up to host a booth at the bridal expo, offering her B&B as a wedding destination where couples could be married in her generous garden.  While there, she hears two contentious arguments: one between Virgie and a local florist, with whom she apparently has a past, and another between Virgie and her friend Roxanna Quarry, who owns an event planning business.

But when there is a gown finale, when the large cake is opened, Roxanna tumbles out, apparently strangled by the colorful scarf she was wearing.  Now Virgie is the main suspect in the murder, and Nina refuses to believe she's guilty.  What's worse, after she and Harry pick up Gustopher, Roxanna's orphaned dog, Nina goes to Roxanna's home the next day to return an ominous item she accidentally picked up.  But when she finds the home trashed, she calls the police and now she's smack in the middle of the investigation whether she wants it or not.

Then she learns that her ex-husband is getting married again, to a woman half his age.  While she doesn't love Cam anymore, the fact still sends her reeling, and to top it off, Harry discloses a long-held secret that doesn't help.  Now Nina needs to find a murderer among a roomful of suspects, and put her own feelings on hold.  Easy to say, but doing might be harder when things are beginning to change...

This is the third book in the series and I have to say that so far it happens to be my favorite.  I enjoyed the last one quite a bit, but this book takes us a little bit more into the lives of Nina and Harry, and it explains some things about him; I've always felt that Harry is aloof, and this book gives us a hint as to his past.

When we look for the murderer, we learn more about Roxanna, and it's not nice.  The persona that she showed Nina isn't the same persona she showed other people, and even though Nina finds these things out, she still wants justice for her friend.

When we finally discover the murderer and the reason for the killing, it's believable and the climax is definitely worth waiting for.  Then, life for Nina can go back to normal, or maybe it won't...a delightful read, and I eagerly look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Peaches-Schemes-Georgia-Anna-Gerard/dp/1643855840/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3927750009

More on Anna Gerard's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/anna-gerard/

Four Cuts Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery Book 4)

Author:    Debra H. Goldstein

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496732217

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

May 25, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Between working as a law firm receptionist, reluctantly pitching in as co-owner of her twin sister's restaurant, and caretaking for her regal Siamese RahRah and rescue dog Fluffy, Sarah has no time to enjoy life's finer things.  Divorced and sort-of dating, she's considering going back to school.  But as a somewhat competent sleuth, Sarah's more suited for criminal justice than learning how many ways she can burn a meal.

Although she wouldn't mind learning some knife skills from her sous chef, Grace Winston, an adjunct instructor who teaches cutlery expertise in cooking college, Grace is considering accepting an executive chef's position offered by Jane Clark, Sarah's business rival -- and her late ex-husband's lover.  But Grace's future lands in hot water when the school's director is found dead with one of her knives in his back.  To clear her friend's name, Sarah must sharpen her own skills at uncovering an elusive killer...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sarah Winston lives in a carriage house with her Siamese cat, RahRah, and her rescue dog Fluffy.  She works as a receptionist at a criminal law firm, and in her spare time helps her sister Emily out at their co-owned restaurant and volunteers at the local animal shelter.  This day she's wondering why Emily's sous chef Grace Winston asked her to meet at the local college.  When Grace finally does arrive late, she tells Sarah that she's just had a heated argument with the head of the department where Grace is teaching knife skills.  When they both go back to Grace's classroom to clean up, they find the man dead.  Now it's a crime scene, and Grace is suspected of murder.

But Sarah knows Grace isn't guilty, and asks her employer Harlan to represent Grace.  While he doesn't want Sarah investigating and putting herself in danger, Sarah isn't going to listen, of course.  When Sarah starts digging, she finds plenty of suspects and motives.  But now the question is who wanted the man dead and why?  Sarah needs to watch herself, or she might be the next one whose life is sliced short...

This is the fourth book in the series, and I enjoyed it as much as the last one.  I do like the fact that Sarah has a twin and they are so different, but I would think that at this point Sarah might want to take a cooking class at that college.  I delight in cooking.  My three sisters, not so much.  But at least they can cook well enough to survive (I hope).  

The book had a very good plot, with someone killed practically at the beginning and the rest of the book with Sarah trying to find a murderer.  Couple that with her nemesis Jane trying constantly to undermine Emily's success with Southwind, Emily's restaurant on a regular basis, and you have a detailed scenario that gives Sarah's the tools needed to unmask a murderer.  But the clues are far between, although they are there if you look for them, and we discover the murderer almost at the same time as Sarah, which is the point of a mystery.

In the end, I thought this was an interesting mystery peopled with plenty of characters, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

https://www.amazon.com/Four-Cuts-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496732219/ref

Goodreads:        https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3894964397

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

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

Author:  Kate Young

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496721495

Kensington Publishing

352 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

April 27, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Misalignment and Murder (A Chiro Cozy Mystery Book 2)

Author:  Cathy Tully

Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781736446720

Visions & Revisions Unlimited

216 Pages

$10.99; $3.99 Amazon

February 15, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Borrowed Crime (A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery #1)

Author:  Kate Young

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book; [Audio CD]

ISBN #:  9781643854625

Crooked Lane Books

311 Pages

$18.47; $12.99; [$24.99] Amazon

October 6, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lyla Moody loves her sleepy little town of Sweet Mountain, Georgia.  She likes her job as a receptionist for her uncle's private investigative firm, her fellow true crime obsessed Jane Doe members are the friends she's always wanted, and her parents just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary.  But recently, with her best friend Melanie on vacation, and her ex-boyfriend and horrible cousin becoming an item and moving in next door to her, her idyllic life is on the fritz.  The cherry on top of it all is finding Carol, a member of the club, dead and shoved into a suitcase, left at Lyla's front door.

Unusual circumstances notwithstanding, with Carol's heart condition, the coroner rules Carol's death undetermined.  But when they discover the suitcase belongs to Melanie, who had returned from her vacation the following morning. Sweet Mountain police begin to suspect Lyla's best friend.  Determined that police are following the wrong trail, to clear her friend's name, and to not allow Carol to become one of the club's studied cold cases, Lyla begins to seek out the real killer.  That is, until she becomes the one sought after.  Now, finding the truth could turn her into the killer's next plot twist, unless she wins the game of cat and mouse.                                  

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lyla Moody lives in small town Sweet Mountain, Georgia and works for her Uncle Calvin, who's a retired cop and now a private investigator.  She's always been interested in true crime, but since nothing ever happens where she lives, she belongs to the Jane Doe Book Club, where the members read mysteries and discuss them.  

One evening after work she's stunned to see her ex-boyfriend Kevin, along with her horrible cousin moving in across the complex from her.  As if that weren't enough, her friend Melanie is still on vacation with half her own clothes.  But when she finds what she thinks is Melanie's suitcase outside her door, she hauls it inside.  The next morning Melanie shows up at her door, and they both realize there's a terrible smell coming from the suitcase.  What they find inside is the body of their friend Carol Timms -- and then everything happens:  why would someone do this?  Why would they leave her in front of Lyla's apartment?  Why is Lyla receiving cryptic messages similar to the last book they read?  

Not to mention, her father becomes semi-involved, her mother is having a breakdown, and Carol's husband, Judge Timms, wants Lyla to investigate, thinking she's becoming a private investigator herself.  When Lyla agrees, everything goes haywire.  Now Lyla is in the middle of a murder, and she just might be the next victim...

This is the first book in a new series by Kate Young, and I have to say that I absolutely loved it.  There was plenty of action all the time, and the only thing that bothered me is the fact that Lyla is too busy trying to tell herself that she's better than men -- she doesn't need one, she's independent, she can take care of herself, etc. -- that she misses the big picture.  Maybe if she just stopped and sat back the right man would come along that understands her desire to solve cold cases.  I guess we'll see in the next book.

Anyway, that notwithstanding, Lyla is a fairly smart woman who is able to think quickly which helps in keeping her out of danger.  She manages to find the clues she needs to put everything together, and while this book isn't what I would call a true cozy, it still keeps one interested right through the ending.

Although I figured out who the murderer was before Lyla did, it was still intriguing to watch her as she figured it all out.  Ms. Young writes with a flair that pulls the reader in while making the characters almost leap off the page.  They are animated and believable, and that is what a book is supposed to do.

When we come to the ending, it gives us a sense of satisfaction as there are no cliffhangers, which I absolutely abhor; and leaves us waiting eagerly for the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Borrowed-Crime-Jane-Book-Mystery/dp/1643854623/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3785005023

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

Peaches and Scream (A Georgia Peach Mystery)

Author:  Susan Furlong
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book; Audiobook
ISBN #:  9780425278383
Berkley Publishing
266 Pages
$7.52; $2.99 Amazon
July 7, 2015

⭐⭐⭐

To help run the family peach farm during her parents' absence, Nola Mae Harper returns to her childhood home of Cay Mill, Georgia, and soon discovers that things back at the farm aren't exactly peachy.  A poor harvest and rising costs are threatening to ruin the Harpers' livelihood, and small-town gossip is spreading like blight thanks to Nola's juicy reputation as a wild teenager way back when.  But Nola really finds herself in the pits when she stumbles upon a local businessman murdered among the peach trees.

With suspicions and family tensions heating up faster than a cobbler in the oven, this sweet Georgia peach will have to prune through a list of murder suspects -- before she too becomes ripe for the killer's picking...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Nola Mae Harper has been away from home for fifteen years.  She's come back to visit occasionally, but never stayed long.  After her boss downgraded her job to a different position, she's not happy.  But it's her parents fiftieth wedding anniversary, and she's come to stay for the party and take care of the family peach farm while they're on a cruise.

What she finds when she returns is that the farm isn't in as good shape as she thought.  There's the mower that needs to be fixed, irrigation lines need to get running, and then there's the dead body leaning against a peach tree in the grove...

When it's discovered that he's a customer at the bank that her brother-in-law Hollis is president of, and that there's been problems with the man's lumber mill, and also that he was seen arguing with Hollis, there's a bigger problem.  Especially since no one knows where Hollis is, and her sister Ida is about to give birth.  Now Nola has to figure out how to get the farm running again, keep Hollis out of jail, and keep her thoughts from her old friend Cade, who seems to have changed through the years, and for the better...

To be honest, I really liked the beginning of this book.  It started off well and kept me interested in watching how Nola was going to get the farm up and running again.  I liked the idea that the people in this small town welcomes her back home (most of them, anyway), and that she was able to do things on her own, including caring for her older sister, who needed her.  I enjoyed the fact that she'd lived the life she did, learning how to stand up and do things, which helped her in the projects she needed to fix to get the farm running.  I also liked Joe and how he bartered to get things done, it seemed that this is a good form for a lot of people to get through life, and it's nothing to sneeze at.

I did like the way she'd decided on searching for the real killer, but I sure don't hope that Maudy turns out to be one of those sheriffs that want to pin things on people just because she doesn't like them.  That would ruin the small series that it is, completely.

What I didn't care for was the ending, and that's why I gave it three stars instead of five.  It left too much unsaid, too many things hanging in the wind.  I will place them in a spoiler below so that those who've never read the book don't have it ruined for them:

 

Why didn't we get to see her parents' reaction at her fixing things around the farm and that she's going to sell peach products to save the farm? Why didn't Hawk ever mention that long-ago one-night stand so that Nola could tell him about her pregnancy and loss? He acted like he just met her, and dumps his dog on her and just leaves. Also, what kind of private investigator shows up on a motorcycle? Shouldn't he be running under the wire? Nothing like giving people time to decide on an alibi. As it was, he came off as a jerk and even as an investigator he didn't do very well. What happened to Floyd Reeves? Was he caught? He should have been, and then charged as an accomplice. Did Hollis allow everyone else time to pay back their loans or just figure it out with Joe? None of these questions were addressed, and they should have been.

Because of what's in the spoiler, I felt that I couldn't enjoy the ending, and because the murderer wasn't much of a surprise, I was so let down that I don't think I'll even read the rest of the series.  Sorry.

https://www.amazon.com/Peaches-Scream-Georgia-Peach-Mystery/dp/0425278387/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3512526273

More on Susan Furlong's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/susan-furlong/