Death at a Scottish Halloween

The Scottish Isle Mysteries Book 5

Author:    Lucy Connelly

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798892426459

Crooked Lane Books

272 Pages

$27.90; $14.99 Amazon

August 11. 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Dr. Emilia McRoy stumbles upon a dead body in a haunted house, she resolves to find the killer before another body can fall.

It's the week of Halloween -- or as they say in Scotland, All Hallows' Eve -- and the town of Sea Isle is full of spooky celebrations.  Dr. Emilia McRoy loves being part of her new community and is eager to help out in any way she can.  But the festivities are interrupted when she and her assistant, Abigail, find a dead body in a haunted house.  A real one.  They're too late to save the victim, but they'll do whatever it takes to find the killer.

There's just one problem: There are too many suspects.

Constable Ewan would prefer the good doctor and her friends stay out of the investigations, but that isn't how Dr. Em rolls.  As she and her gang investigate, they realize the killer is searching for something -- and has no problem murdering anyone who gets in the way of finding it.

Dr. Em must stay one step ahead if she's to survive this Halloween season alive -- either that or she might just end up the next victim.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Dr. Emilia McRoy moved to the small Scottish town of Sea Isle for a change from her life in a large American hospital, where she was head of ER.  But things weren't as she expected.  Not only is she the only doctor around, she's also become the coroner, which means her work is more involved than she expected.  She's also become involved in the local traditions, and has made some close friends in the process.

While working in a room in the "haunted house" along with her assistant Abigail, the last thing she expects is to go to the next room and find a dead body.  And the very last thing she expects is that her own knife is plunged into the victim's chest.  Now she's involved in another murder, and this one is a puzzle.

Which becomes a greater puzzle when the man's wife shows up -- a woman whom the victim's sister exclaims isn't -- and the wife, seeing the body, declares that she thought it was her husband, who has the same name and has been missing.  Then things take a turn for the worse, and Dr. Em realizes that there are just too many suspects -- who could be wearing costumes and masks, considering it's near All Hallows' Eve and the town is celebrating with different events.

After a series of incidents, Constable Ewan wants to give Em round the clock security, but she refuses.  Which might be a big mistake.  Then other incidents occur, and Em wonders who was the real victim: the first man murdered or someone else?  And are these cases connected?  More importantly, could this get her killed?

This is the fifth book in the series and I love it as much as the others.  Ms. Connelly is a talented writer, and she brings you to Sea Isle, Scotland with a touch of her pen.  The descriptions of the area around it makes me see it in my mind, and that's the important thing.  Because once you have the setting, it's easy to imagine the people.  The characters are in turn charming and secretive, open and closed.  It's anyone's guess who the killer might be, although Em's friends have their own opinions on who that person is.  The question is, are they correct?

While Em uses her skills as a doctor, she also uses her mental skills to figure out the truth.  But not without help from her friends, which frustrates Ewan, even though he knows he can't stop her.  He just hopes she also uses her common sense enough to stay away from a killer.

While we also have our characters living their own lives -- Tommy and his gardens, Abigail learning her relationship status with Henry, and even Em herself figuring out what she really wants.

When the end comes and everything is finally revealed, it's not what anyone expected to know.  (While I knew the murderer long before Em, but only because I read a lot of these) I still thoroughly enjoyed the ending, the catching of the murderer, and everything that we are looking forward to in the next book.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Scottish-Halloween-Isle-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0G1X9KS32/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8930014584

More on Lucy Connelly's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/lucy-connelly/

Casting Call 4 Murder

 A Sophie Kimball Mystery Book 16

Author:    J.C. Eaton

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966322634

Beyond The Page Publishing

211 Pages

$15.99; $6.99 Amazon

July 15, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When a theatre group's murder mystery weekend turns deadly, the seniors of Sun City West take on a starring role in catching the killer...

The book club ladies of Sun City West love nothing more than poking their noses into murder investigations, so it's the treat of a lifetime when they get to attend a murder mystery weekend at a sprawling Victorian mansion.  They'll be matching wits with other mystery aficionados trying to figure out whodunnit, and Sophie "Phee" Kimball is thrilled that for once her mother's friends won't be meddling in a real homicide.  As the plot unfolds it's mysterious fun for the actors and audience alike, until the dead body they discover is all too real.

Confident they can solve what's turned into a real-life murder, the book club ladies hatch a plan and rope Phee into helping them.  But as they step into their roles as amateur sleuths, what seems like play-acting is deadly serious to the killer.  Soon Phee and the seniors want to rewrite the ending, because the murderer in their midst is dead-set on bringing the curtain down on all of them...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sophie "Phee" Kimball-Gregory lives in Arizona with her private detective husband, Marshall.  They both work for a PI agency, and most times things are routine -- missing and/or cheating spouses, etc.  Except when Phee's mother gets involved.  Which she does.  A lot.

When one of Harriet Kimball's friends wins a mystery weekend for 10 at a local Victorian B&B, he has no interest in going (he'd rather be fishing) so he offers it to Harriet who, of course, is thrilled and can't wait to ask Phee to accompany her and Harriet's senior friends.  Hoping to keep them out of trouble, she reluctantly agrees, if only to remind them that this is a fake murder, not a real one.

But Phee spoke too soon.  After an impromptu performance by Harriet (also unscripted and uncalled for), the director offers roles to Harriet, her sister Ina, and their friend Myrna.  Three divas who will try to upstage each other -- and say whatever comes into their heads.  Phee thinks things can't get any worse.  She's wrong.

When a real murder occurs, the investigators are on it, as well as the local police.  And the seniors.  Who weren't asked.  Who aren't wanted.  Who think they can solve the murder first.  Not to mention the other guests of the B&B, who are raring to solve a real murder as well.  So now Phee is stuck in place as the head of the group, trying to keep them out of the way of the police as she tells them to only gather information.  Will that work?  Nope.  Not in the case of Harriet and friends.

They want to force a confession -- but they don't know who the murderer is.  So they decide to do it their own way, almost driving Phee crazy...

This is the 16th book in the series, and I have read them all.  In my opinion, they are fun, witty, and hilarious.  Especially Phee's nutty mother and her Aunt Ina.  Not to mention a truly funny scene involving her Uncle Louis.  But that's another tale best left for the readers.

The descriptions of the B&B are done so well that I'd be willing to travel to Arizona just to stay there.  But not on a mystery weekend.  I have no desire for 'accidental' deaths (ha).  Fortunately, I discovered the identity of the murderer right around the time Phee did, so that was pleasant.  The seniors, as always, are entertaining, and no, I wouldn't want to spend time with any of them (except maybe Herb, as he sounds like a hoot).  When the story comes to an end, you don't want it to.  You want to see what happens next.  Which, of course, is the whole purpose of a book, right?  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Casting-Call-Murder-J-Eaton-ebook/dp/B0GX32GQBF/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8910805659

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

Probable Caws

A Meg Lanslow Mystery Book 39

Author:    Donna Andrews

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781250407320

Minotaur Books

304 Pages

$28.00; $14.99 Amazon

August 4, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Meg has finally found time to get some blacksmithing done when a call from her dad interrupts her -- can she come out to Ragnar's right away to help with the horses?  Their friend Ragnar Ragnarsen, who is gradually turning the enormous house on his nearby estate into an authentic moated castle, has agreed to shelter nearly fifty horses for Hoof and Hearth, an equine rescue organization that has lost access to the farm where the horses have been living.  The owner of the farm recently died without leaving a will, and while his older son Abel would be happy to let the horses stay, younger brother George wants to sell to a developer...and is suspected of sending thug to harm the horses as part of his efforts to evict Hoof and Hearth.

That night, while Meg and her family are camping at one of Ragnar's barns, to keep an eye on the horses, they discover that the thug has been murdered.  Unfortunately George is alibied...but his horse-loving brother Abel is not.  Neither are the hot-tempered founder of Hoof and Hearth or the passionately protective ex-jockey who serves as its stablemaster.  Meg juggles helping keep the horses safe and doing what she can to help the chief solve the thug's murder...all the while hoping that the killer won't turn out to be one of the dedicated horse rescuers she has come to like and respect.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Meg Lanslow lives in a small town with her husband Michael and twin sons.  She's a blacksmith by trade, and has been making items for a friend, Ragnar Ragnarsen, who wants to turn his mansion into a moated castle.  Just when she thinks she has some time on her hands for new creations, she receives a call from her father asking if she can come to Ragnar's farm and help with the horses.  The horses are rescues from Hoof and Hearth, and they have been displaced by due to a dispute.  While Abel has no problem keeping them, his brother George wants them off the land so he can sell his half.

George shows up at the farm with a nasty bodyguard who doesn't say anything but is threatening just the same.  Told to leave the farm, he isn't happy, but does so, threatening people as he leaves.  No one is sad to see him go.

What Meg finds when she arrives as Ragnar's is the testy owner of Hoof and Hearth, along with half the town to help.  Many of the horses are in bad shape, and one of them is heavily pregnant and won't allow men near her.  Which leaves her grandfather, a zoo veterinarian, to find a female vet.  In the meantime, Meg has decided to keep watch over her.

Her boys want to spend the night camping out near the barns, and Meg and Michael go along with their own tent.  But during the night Meg fears that the heavy rain may scare some of the horses, and goes to check.  What she finds in one of the barns is a man.  A very dead man...

Now she's in the middle of a murder investigation, and there's just too many suspects.  She doesn't know any of the people that work for Hoof and Hearth besides Abel, and she doesn't think he is a killer.  Could it have been George?  But he has an air-tight alibi.  Is it Helena, the testy owner of the horses?  Or someone else?  Enlisting the help of her attorney cousin Festus, her computer-savvy nephew Kevin, and anyone else she thinks might be helpful, she sets out to find a killer.  Now if she can just stay out of the orbit herself, she might even survive this...

Donna Andrews has created a winner with this book.  I will give a bit of a spoiler, that is, this book is heavily saturated with horses, so if you love the creatures, you will love this book.  You will also learn quite a bit along the way.  Saying that, I love almost all animals, so I found it interesting as well.  Especially the crows.  I love crows (which is actually a good thing, it turns out!)

Meg tries to be discreet in her questioning, and even if she thinks someone might be guilty, her quick wit gets her out of trouble before she can even get into it.  There is a strong reliance on family here, and it's refreshing to read about a protagonist who is not only married, but happily so.  I love the (minimal) interactions between Meg and Michael, and even their sons.  Everyone seems to be busy and happy.  

Finding a killer isn't going to be easy, because of the murder weapon, which is indeed unusual.  And when a key piece of evidence goes missing, they need to find it to see if it connects with the murder in any way.  There's a lot going on here, and the clues are there (sometimes) but keep reading, because this is at the least an intriguing tale.

When we get closer to the climax of the book, things change.  They move around.  Surprises pop up that nobody saw coming.  Especially Meg.  And even I, who reads tons of mysteries, was pleased by all of this, surprised myself (although I did figure out part of it, but not all).  I am not going to say anything else as I don't want to ruin this for others.  I will say that even if you have not read any of her other books, this will definitely make you want to.  Highly recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Probable-Caws-Langslow-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/125040732X/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8789761490

More on Donna Andrews' Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/donna-andrews/

Murder At The Campfire Cookout

 A Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries Book 7

Author:    Darci Hannah

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:     9781496747426

Kensington Cozies

352 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

June 30, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

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

Because no one is out of the woods yet.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Killer Donuts

 A Deputy Donut Mystery Book 11

Author:    Ginger Bolton

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496758255

Kensington Cozies

256 Pages

$17.97; $9.99 Amazon

August 25, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bubble, Bubble, Tea and Trouble,

Tea by the Sea Mysteries Book 7

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496757630

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$27.00; TBA

July 28, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Murder at a Scottish Halloween

A Scottish Shire Mystery Book 8

Author:    Traci Hall

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496757821

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$18.95; $9.99 Amazon

June 30, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Chowder House Murder

A Downeast Maine Mystery Book 1

Author:    Lee Hollis

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781496755056

Kensington Cozies

320 Pages

$27.00. $13.77 Amazon

May 26. 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whiskers and Ciphers

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 6

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781967678901

Tule Publishing

260 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

September 10, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackmail and Kitty Tails

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 5

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966593812

Tule Publishing

262 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

May 21, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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

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

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buttercream and Bullets

Frosted Misfortune Mysteries Book 7

Author:    Lisa Siefert

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0G33DSPZF

Tule Publishing

236 Pages

$4.99 Amazon

February 9, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐

She just wants to sell cupcakes and avoid drama.  When a killer strikes close to home, will she whisk up the perfect trap or get burned trying?

Ava Decker is starved for commitment.  Unsure what to do about the three men tearing her in different directions, the sarcastic baker is kicking off January with a massive hangover and the urge to eat her feelings.  But when she drags herself to the museum to clean up after the town/s New Year's Eve bash, she discovers not only state treats but also the editor of the local newspaper...shot to death.

Leaning on forensic skills she's earned by being an unfortunate corpse magnet, the big-hearted shop owner resumes her role as neighborhood amateur sleuth and starts exploring clues.  Yet as she digs up info on feuding co-workers, missing money, and crooked politicians, she realizes the sharp-toothed wordsmith had a whole pantry's worth of enemies.

Can she celebrate the sweet reward of catching a murderer before this becomes a recipe for disaster?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Ava Decker lives in a small town in Michigan and owns a bakery and a chocolate factory.  She has parents who love her, a best friend who always has her back, and a cute cat named Lucky.  Life should be great...but it's not.  Her boyfriend, Jean-Carlo, is MIA and she's longing for some kind of commitment.  The kind where he's in town and talks to her every day.  Not the kind where he's on some secret mission and is incommunicado for weeks.  

But to keep herself occupied, she agrees to help clean up after the New Year's celebration.  Which doesn't include finding another dead body.  Again.  This time it's the nasty editor of the local newspaper.  And she's not happy about it, since she hopes this time she won't be a suspect.  But she still feels the need to find the killer.  Especially when the next days' newspaper has a story about her being a body magnet.  Not happy indeed.

When she meets the author of that piece, she's surprised to find out that the woman has been stalking her -- of all things!  She actually thought Ava might be a serial killer...at least until she proves her whereabouts when this body was found.  But can the writer help her?  Or cause more problems?

Since she's still sticking to Ava's side, they decide to work together to find a killer -- who might actually be stalking them...

This is the seventh book in the series, and I found it as delightful as any of the others I have read.  It was a little crazy, as I think it was supposed to be; and Ava was a bit too clingy, but then again, the poor woman never knows where she stands around men, so she can be forgiven for that.  But it was certainly fun watching how she went around asking questions and hoping the killer didn't target her as the next victim, and her newspaper friend was pushing her to find the truth.

The only thing I didn't care for was clingy Ava.  Crazy Ava I can do.  Loony Ava is delightful.  But clingy Ava brings her to a whole new level of crazy, although I will say that I am with her that boyfriends shouldn't disappear for weeks at a time without communicating.  It would make most women rethink their decisions.

But I did like how the mystery was handled, and most of the characters were fun to spend time with, especially Magnus and Mr. Hardison, even though they didn't have major roles.  When the killer was discovered, it's rather sad, but who knows what goes on in the mind of a murderer?  I've come to love this series, and hope it continues.  Recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Buttercream-Bullets-Frosted-Misfortunes-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0G33DSPZF/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8262269579

More on Lisa Siefert's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/lisa-siefert/

Whose Body In The Library

A Lighthouse Library Mystery Book 13

Author:    Eva Gates

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:   9798892424370

Crooked :Lane Books

304 Pages

$29.99; $14.99 Amazon

June 26, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐

While Lucy McNeil is enjoying her new job as the mother of twin boys and library director, new librarian Nichelle Gilchrest has just arrived at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, reporting for duty.  But life throws a wrench on Nichelle's first day when she finds a body on the steps -- a body that bears a startling resemblance to her father, who disappeared on a fishing trip to the Outer Banks thirty-eight years ago.

Fingerprints confirm the dead body is indeed Nichelle's father, now living in Nags Head under the name Brian Saunders.  Brian had been befriending older lonely women in exchange for money, but was he working alone?

Detective Rhonda Thomas is on the case, and the suspect list is only getting longer.  Sorting through the wronged women and their relatives, Detective Thomas discovers Nichelle's own brother Brad had been in Nags Head a few days before the murder happened and has been lying about his whereabouts.

Hoping to clear her brother's name. Nichelle decides to investigate what happened.  With seasoned sleuth Lucy's gentle encouragement for the amateur, Nichelle is in for an exciting and dangerous first week at the library.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽ 

Once again we venture back to Nags Head, North Carolina and the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library.  This time out, Lucy McNeil has a new job as director of the library, and there is a new librarian, Nichelle Gilchrest.

Nichelle is in her 50's and starting over with  a degree in her pocket and her nerves on edge as to whether she'll fit in or not.  That feeling doesn't change when she opens the library doors the next morning and finds a body on the doorstep.  Moreover, that body could be her long-long father, who deserted the family thirty-eight years ago and presumed drowned at sea during a fishing trip.

Now the new detective, Rhonda Thomas, is warning Nichelle to stay out of it, and Lucy is trying not to get involved, with her new job and new twins taking over her life.  But when Nichelle's brother becomes a sudden suspect, she's determined to find the truth, but doesn't know how to go about it.

With the help of Louise Jane, whose never-ending 'knowledge' of people and things in the Outer Banks, Nichelle is learning who might be responsible.  But can she keep herself safe or will she walk into the arms of a killer?...

This is the latest book in the series, and I have enjoyed them.  I love every time I get to visit the Outer Banks, and with Lucy and her friends.  But this time out is different.  Lucy is a side character, and the mystery seems to focus on Nichelle (as it should, since she is the new character) and Louise Jane (whom I have never been fond of).  But I have to say that I cannot warm up to Detective Thomas.  She's not likable, and doesn't seem to want to make friends of the residents, which I think she should do since it's a small community.  You can be professional and still have friends that you deal with.  Sam Watson proved that.

There is very little of the other characters that we've grown to love as well, so we're in new territory all around here.  The way we keep Lucy in the story is the difference in which it is written.  First person for Nichelle, third person for Lucy.

The mystery is written well, as always; and I enjoy Ms. Gates so much that I read her books straight through.  This one is no different.  The plot keeps you guessing, although I did figure out the murderer before Nichelle; but when she figures it out herself, there's more work to be done before the murderer can be apprehended.

There are clues throughout, and descriptions of the area aplenty which always add to the story.  When the ending comes it is put together well, and I will read the next in the series.  Recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Whose-Body-Library-Lighthouse-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FQHC3T7T/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8227469880

More on Eva Gates's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/eva-gates/