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/

A Christmas Candy Killing

Killer Chocolate Mysteries Book 1

Author:    Christina Romeril

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781639101665; 9781639104765

Crooked Lane Books

320 Pages

$15.17; $19.00; $14.99 Amazon

October 11, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alex and Hanna's chocolates are to die for -- but things aren't so sweet when a killer comes to their Montana town, in this Christmas cozy mystery set at a murder mystery bookshop!

Identical twin sisters Alex and Hanna are the owners of Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookshop that sells their famous poison-themed Killer Chocolates.  But now, there's a real killer in their midst.  Shortly before Christmas, their septuagenarian neighbor, Jane, confides to Alex that a murderer from a true-crime show has taken up residence in the village.  Unfortunately, she's also shared her suspicions with the town gossip, Netta.  The next morning, Alex shows up at Jane's house to watch the show, but instead discovers Jane's body, with a box of Killer Chocolates nearby.

The sheriff quickly zeroes in on two suspects: Alex, a beneficiary in Jane's will, and Zack, a handyman who was seen leaving the crime scene.  But Alex maintains her innocence and sets out to draft a list of other potential suspects -- townsfolk who'd recently been seen arguing with Jane

When Alex gets hold of Jane's journal, she begins to understand the truth.  But a bearer of ill tidings is arriving early this year -- and Alex just might not make it to Christmas.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Alex and her identical twin sister Hanna moved from Michigan to a small town in Montana, opening their chocolate shop/bookstore, Murder and Mayhem.  People love their chocolates, especially the names they've given them -- all named after poisons which have been used in mystery books.  They also host a book club once a week which Alex enjoys.

After the latest meeting, a member in her 70's, Jane, tells Alex that she thinks there's a murderer living among them.  Alex doesn't make much of this, since Jane has a history of thinking people in town are the killers that have been depicted on her true crime shows.  But Jane is adamant that this time she's sure, and wants Alex to come over the next day for tea and they can watch the show together.

When Alex arrives the next day, Jane's door is unlocked, and she enters, calling for Jane.  But she sees someone out in the back, although she can't tell who.  Still calling for Jane, she finds her beside her bed, dead.  After calling the police, she sees that it is a box of her Killer Chocolates next to the body.

When it's learned that Jane was poisoned, the sheriff leans toward Alex as the main suspect.  Especially when it becomes known that Alex is one of the beneficiaries of Jane's will.  Now Alex has a reason to find out who killed the woman -- and will do whatever it takes to do so, even if it puts her in danger.

This is the first book in the series, and I will admit that I am remiss in reading it.  I purchased it earlier, but with a TBR pile to read -- well, true readers will know what I mean.  Still, I am glad that I read this book.

Which isn't to say that there is not problems -- I did not like the fact that the author thinks if a woman has a few extra pounds she should be fat shamed.  Women's bodies come in all sizes and shapes, and if she's happy and healthy, that's all that matters.  I also didn't get the idea that Alex and Hanna are very close; sure, they have different interests, but they didn't spend much time together and that seemed by design.  I would have liked to have known more about what they looked like, how tall they were, etc.  All I learned was that their mother was a bit of a nag and harsh.  (My own opinion).

I also wondered if everyone in this town had a secret that they harbored.  It seems like an interesting town to me.  But I don't know if I'd enjoy the fact of wondering if everyone I encountered was who they said they were.  Just sayin'/

Back to the story: I found the plot line to be very good, and there were plenty of red herrings along the way (refer back to previous paragraph).  It's up to the reader to draw their own conclusions (if they can) and try and figure out which herrings are worth fishing for.  I will say that I knew the murderer long before Alex figured it out; but I've said many times over that I read a lot of mysteries so I start looking immediately.  What I didn't know was the reason why, and when that came about, it brought the entire story together.

The climax was written very well, and I liked the way the story ended, the killer having been wrapped up in a Christmas bow, as it were.  The reasons for the murder were insane to say the least, but then again, there's no reason for it at all.  I did enjoy this story and I will definitely read the next in the series.  Recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Killing-Killer-Chocolate-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09Q8JS9HV/ref=sr

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8134016588

More on Christina Romeril's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/christina-romeril/

Cupcakes and Chaos

Frosted Misfortunes Book 1

Author:    Lisa Siefert

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781965640463

Tule Publishing

280 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

January 13, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Her new employer has met her maker,  and she's the only suspect.  Can she sift out the truth and serve the villain their just desserts?

Ava Decker longs to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning her own bakery.  Ready for a fresh start, the former forensic accountant turned pastry chef is excited to turn life's lemons into sugary success.  But her hopes crumble when her mean boss turns up dead in the back of the delivery truck Ava was driving.  

Arrested as the prime suspect, things get worse when the police discover the victim left Ava the shop and her house in her will.  And with only an adorable kitten who thinks he's a dog and an exasperated best friend as the voice of reason, the newly bequeathed owner must turn super-sleuth to clear her name.

Can Ava solve the crime before she's baking behind bars?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽ 

Ava Decker returns home to her small town of Clover Creek, Maine, after being away for ten years.  The reason she returned is because she was left at the altar by her fiancé Ben.  But one bright light is she's able to do what she's always wanted to: give up her job of forensic accounting and become a pastry chef, specializing in filled cupcakes.

Although her boss Francine is horrible, Ava loves what she does.  But one morning she's running late for a baking competition, and if she doesn't make it, Francine might fire her.  When she's stopped for speeding by Officer Wesley Lockwood, she offers him a cupcake from the back of the truck.  Unfortunately for her, the truck also holds the dead body of Francine...

Now Ava is the prime suspect in the murder, not only because she doesn't have an airtight alibi, but because at the reading of the will she inherits Francine's mansion, its contents, and the bakery.  Unless Ava can find the guilty party, she won't be making cupcakes...she'll be doing time...

This is the first book in the series and the reason I read it is I just finished the sixth, and I was so enamored by it that I felt I had to go back and read the series from start.  I am glad to say that I am not disappointed.  In fact, I am just as enamored by this book as I was from the other.

In this book, we get to know a little more about Ava's background, although we don't know the entire story of why she was dumped.  (To put it succinctly). We do know she's rather tall (5'11") and is very pretty, and that she has a loyal friend in Ruby, her BFF from high school.  True friendship never fails...even when that friend is telling you not to investigate (but you do anyway).

We also get to meet the delightful Lucky, an Abyssinian kitten that belonged to Francine and is now Ava's.  Abyssinians are known for separation anxiety, so Ava is determined to make him an emotional support kitten, therefore taking him everywhere (which only adds to the fun).

There are suspects aplenty, and even if Ava is trying to bribe them with cupcakes to get information, something else occurs that causes her to move even higher on the suspect list (if that's even possible).  There isn't much time left if she's going to save herself, but with new friends and old, Ava is pushing through...and might just be left alive after all....

In the end, the murderer was unexpected (in a way), but you can't reason with a killer (nor would you want to).  An engaging story with plenty of action, and I will definitely continue with this series.  Highly recommended

https://www.amazon.com/Cupcakes-Chaos-Frosted-Misfortunes-Mysteries/dp/196564046X/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7908226865

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

This Murder Is Nacho Business

Author:    D.C. Owens

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:   9798989867226

Gearspin Press 

267 Pages

$11.95; $2.99 Amazon

June 25, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nachos, pie, murder, oh my!  

Losing her engineering job in the 1983 oil bust?  Rough.  Moving back to her Texas Hill Country hometown to help out at the family cafe?  Unexpected.  Getting tangled up in a murder investigation involving nachos, pickles, and nosy Main Street neighbors?  Definitely not on Josie Barbosa's to-do list.

Back in quirky Andorra Springs, Josie's helping out at her family's cafe, testing pie recipes and supporting her dad's latest culinary brainstorm: ready-to-serve nachos.  But when a fellow Main Street business owner turns up dead -- just hours after a heated public spat with her dad -- suddenly the local gossip is spicier than a jalapeno biscuit.

Armed with her analytical brain, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and her best friend Liz -- a tougher-than-nails rancher with a flair for the dramatic -- Josie sets out to clear her dad's name.  But between secretive shopkeepers, a charming wine bar owner, a suspiciously serene garden guru, and the big time BBQ family down the street, this sleepy little town is looking more and more like a murder buffet.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

It's the 1980's, before cell phones and the Internet, and Josie Barbosa is a scientist who's just lost her job in the oil industry.  So, she's back home in the Hill Country of Texas, helping her dad in his cafe and watching him create new foods for the market.  But things take a dark turn when his business neighbor in town is murdered, and suddenly her dad George is the main suspect.  

Josie isn't about to allow her dad to be railroaded for something he didn't do.  Along with her best friend Liz, she's bound and determined to investigate on her own and find the killer, even if it means putting herself in danger.  But will the business owners cooperate with her?  Or worse, is one of them the murderer?...

First off, I have to admit that my son lives in Fredericksburg, half of my family is from Texas, so I know the Hill Country well.  In this book, I have no complaints about the descriptions thereof.  What I didn't like: What does Josie look like?  There are no descriptions (or if there are, I missed It).  Where is her mother?  Is her dad widowed or divorced?  Does she have any other siblings?  No mention is ever made.  I also didn't get how Josie and Liz are constantly telling each other how much they love each other (got it?), and calling each other by names that one would use for their significant other (which they are not).  Plus, Josie was very pushy in her investigation, practically accusing everyone of murder.  It's a wonder anyone would even talk to her a second time.

Don't get me wrong: just because I point out what bothers me doesn't mean I didn't like the book.  It started slowly, but soon got my attention, and I enjoyed reading it very much.  Since this is a first book, it's easy to miss those details I mentioned above.  

The book had a good mystery to solve, and Josie is a likeable character.  In fact, so are most of the other characters.  It's good to travel back in time once in a while, when people had to meet face-to-face to enjoy each other's company.  I really liked that about this book.  I thought the close relationship between the two women to be plausible, and it's obvious that Josie loves her dad; being attached at the hip to my own father, I can understand that.

The author has done a good job of plotting a murder, and keeping the ending a secret.  I appreciate this, as like others who read mysteries, we want to try ourselves to find the killer before the protagonist does.  In this case, I figured it out the same time as Josie, and that's a big plus in itself.  The climax was done well, and there are even a few recipes at the back that sound delicious.  I truly enjoyed immersing myself in this book and look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from Book Sirens, but this in no way influenced my review.  

https://www.amazon.com/This-Murder-Nacho-Business-Owens-ebook/dp/B0FCZFQBMD/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7706960491

More about D.C. Owens:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.C.-Owens/author/B0FD9MTT7M?ref

Deadly Dog Days

Dog Days Mystery Book 1

Author:    Jamie Blair

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781705836378

Independently Published

220 Pages

$13.95; $3.99 Amazon

September 8, 2019

⭐⭐

New to the historic town of Metamora, Indiana, Cameron Cripps-Hayman is looking to make friends with her neighbors.  What she isn't looking for is one of their bodies floating in the canal.

When she and her estranged husband, the town sheriff, are both named suspects for the murder, Cameron takes crime into her own hands, teaming up with her eccentric co-workers who dub themselves the Metamora Action Agency.

As if hunting for a murderer with two high school geniuses, the town drunk, and an elderly kleptomaniac isn't hard enough, Cameron adopts the five mangy guard dogs of her deceased neighbor.  But maybe a stint at playing gatekeeper is just what she needs to come face-to-face with the killer and save another neighbor from being the next victim.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Cameron Cripps-Hayman is estranged from her town sheriff husband, and they have a lot of issues between them to overcome if they can even get along.  Add in a mother-in-law from hell, and you see the reason she left him in the first place.  Unfortunately, she's still living in the house owned by her mother-in-law, and it doesn't sit right with the woman.

 

She manages a group of misfits who have been in trouble with the law, and they work on a help line for those in need.  But when a body is found, they all want to help with the investigation to find a killer.  That is, if Cameron doesn't tell her ex about it.

But trouble follows, and Cameron might just find out that she's next in line to be killed...

Normally, I try to give first in series books a good chance.  But this one just had too many problems, and I'm not sure if I'll read another one or not.  First off, there were just too many characters (42!) so you couldn't keep straight who was doing what.  There were little to none clues to the murderer, so we were forced to read through a book full of nasty people -- her mother-n-law, her stepdaughter, her estranged husband.  Not one had a decent quality to them, and I was really hoping she'd dump them all and just go back with her sister where she could have a decent life and give up eating cookies to deal with her problems and unhappiness.

No such luck.  (But we knew that, anyway).  I would have been happy if her mother-in-law wasa second victim.  The protagonist didn't have a backbone and wouldn't stand up to anyone -- not even her cheating husband.  I won't be reading any more in this series.  There are too many good books out there to read instead.  Why punish myself with characters I can't stand?

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Dog-Days-Mystery-humorous-ebook/dp/B07WS2H43M/ref

More on Jamie Blair's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jamie-blair/

Hauntings and Homicide (A Ghost Tour Mystery #1)

Author:    Ava Burke

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781639109289

Crooked Lane Books

272 Pages

$29.99; $14.99 Amazon

January 21, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lou Thatcher is haunted by ghosts -- friendly ghosts -- but when she finds herself involved in a murder investigation, she's in for the fright of a lifetime.

Tallulah "Lou" Thatcher has a gift: she can see dead people.  But in New Orleans, Louisiana, this is not a drawback.  On the contrary, her ability to see ghosts helps her host viral ghost tours through the historic Garden District.  When rival tour guide Adam Brandt -- who accused her of faking her encounters to undercut his business -- is found murdered, Lou is the only one who can see him...his ghost, that is.

It's no secret Adam and Lou were feuding and with the absence of a suspect, she's the only one with a clear motive.  After detective Dylan Finch, Lou's longtime crush, reveals the murder weapon was a ceremonial dagger from Lou's shop, she's officially declared the prime suspect.  Determined to prove her innocence, Lou starts investigating right away.

Weaving her way through Adam's business partnerships, friendships, and kinships, Lou must uncover who wishes to see him dead before the killer tries to silence her forever.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lou Thatcher hasn't had the most stable upbringing.  But she's finally living back with her beloved Nan, her grandmother, in New Orleans, where she spent the first nine years of her life.  Lou has always felt at home here, mainly because she has a gift -- she can see and communicate with ghosts.  So she's done the most natural thing she can -- she's started ghost tours, and her friendly spirits occasionally liven things up.

Unfortunately, this is what irritates rival tour guide Adam Brandt.  He's sure that Lou is using trickery to get customers, and he's determined to figure it out and expose her.  But one night when Lou is visiting one of her ghostly friends, she sees Adam across the street.  When she goes to confront him, he runs away.  But when she trips over something, it turns out to be Adam's body.  Now Adam, her erstwhile enemy, wants her to find out who killed him.  Lou really has no choice -- since the only other option seems to be that the police think she murdered Adam...

I have never read anything by Ms. Burke before, but I wish I had.  I love books with ghosts (friendly ones, that it), and this one definitely had me enamored throughout.  She writes with a supernatural flair, if you can call it that; one feels as if they are transported to New Orleans and visiting the spirits right along with her.

That's one of the many positives I can say about this book  It's enchanting, mysterious, and full of a plethora of suspects (even if the police seem to not notice anyone else).  Lou is trying to keep both herself and her business alive, while dodging those that want to do her harm.  Along with this, her Nan has hurt her arm, and her sixteen-year-old brother turns up on her doorstep looking for help.  Not even her live-in ghost Kenneth can do everything, though he tries.

Sifting through the people who wanted to do harm to Adam isn't easy, and the more Lou discovers, the more it disheartens her.  It doesn't help that she's had a major crush on the lead detective, who also happens to be the brother of her best friend.  Where will it all end?

But end it does, and the ending is just as surprising as the rest of the book.  I had no idea who the murderer was until nearly the end, and that's part of the charm of it all.  The red herrings are everywhere.  The clues are few and far between.  But it's one of the best reads that I've come across this year, and I would definitely hope others will think so, too.  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/Haunting-Homicide-Ava-Burke-ebook/dp/B0D2C54943/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6830322782

More on Ava Burke's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ava-burke/

This Way to Murder (The Board Game Cafe Mysteries #1)

Author:    Shelley Shearer

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781958321010

Tannhauser Press

211 Pages

$12.99; $4.99 Amazon

February 9, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Remi McKenna is co-hosting a letterboxing event, but her weekend plans are not all fun and games when best friend Trace Cooper is the target of a stalker.  An inheritance of a stone manor house means she hopes this will be the start of her new life in Northern Virginia.  Can Remi juggle the event, start planning her game-themed B&B, and solve the mystery of Trace's strange messages?  Things escalate into a real-life game of Clue when Remi finds a dead body in the garden.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Remi McKenna quit her job and left the state when she inherited a huge old home from her late aunt.  Along with her is her best friend Trace Cooper, and they're off to their new adventure...somewhat.  It seems that Trace's downstairs neighbor has been found murdered, and that's not a good start.  Even though neither of them knew him, they had no idea this was just the beginning to a bigger mystery...

Remi has agreed to cohost a letterbox event with her friends Alice and Jason at their farm, which they are trying to turn into an inn.  Unfortunately, there's also an alien event going on in town, which means the inn is full, and the barn and yard is full of tents with people who are attending one event or the other.  Remi only hopes she can keep up with it all.

But it's soon apparent that Trace has a stalker who knows her every move, even here at their getaway.  Trace acts nonchalant, but Remi is worried, and doesn't want her to go anywhere alone.  Then 'accidents' are occurring to people who are around Trace, and Remi is more than alert, especially when she finds the body of a man who hit on Trace.  Can she find the killer and get through the weekend unscathed, or will this be her first -- and final -- event?

This is the first book that I have read by this author, and I have to say that I enjoyed it.  I know nothing about letterboxing, but the best way I can explain it is that it's like Geocaching, but with written clues instead of coordinates, less intricate, and using rubber stamps.

That being said, it was an interesting plot line and I thought that it was written well with enough intrigue to keep one interested throughout.  There are plenty of suspects, and also a lot of red herrings.  After all, there is only one killer, but they are not that easy to figure out, which I appreciated.  I love a good mystery that keeps me on my toes.

When we discovered the murderer, it came as a complete surprise, which it should, and the reason for the killing was insane; but then again, this is a killer and they never make sense anyway!  The only thing I have to wonder is if a gaming B&B could make money; but you see, when I go to one, I do so to relax and just enjoy what is around me, not to do what it is I do all the time anyway.  Those, of course, are just my thoughts and we will have to see what the author does in the next book, right?

In the end, very good mystery, surprise of a killer, and very good writing.  I will read the next in the series.

https://www.amazon.com/This-Way-Murder-Board-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CVDMS3ZC/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6782919692

More on Shelly Shearer's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/shelley-shearer/

Paws, Claws, and Curses (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal/Fantasy

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781964418339

Tule Publishing

204 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

June 5, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

What are cursed artifacts, a talking cat, and a dead body doing in the sweet little town of Citrus Grove?  That's what spirited shopkeeper Rebecca Cuthbert wants to find out and she had better do it ast because she's the prime suspect in the murder of the town's shadiest antiquities dealer.

It's a troubling start to her reunion with her long-lost grandfather and a far cry from the Southern California vacation she was expecting.  So far, nothing in Citrus Grove is quite what it seems.  Not her grandfather, who suspiciously disappears at the strangest times, not his curious antique shop, which has more secrets than customers, and certainly not the oddball neighbors, with their hidden motives and questionable connections.

As Rebecca races against time with her new feline friend to uncover the truth behind a mysterious murder, she finds herself tangled in a web of danger and deceit as captivating as Queen Cleopatra herself.  With help from unexpected allies and an often-exasperating, yet undeniably handsome detective, Rebecca must outwit the cunning killer before she becomes the next victim.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert has just discovered she has grandfather.  Unfortunately, it was because of sad circumstances she's recently experienced that allowed her to do so.  She packed up her life from Montana to California for a visit, but since she's arrived, strange things have happened.

Her grandfather's manager stole from him, and one of the artifacts has turned up at a shady dealer's home.  He's offered to give it to her, but when she arrives the man is dead.  The police think she killed him.  She also has a surprise in the form of a tiny, ragged kitten that needs her help...about that kitten...is it her help, or will the kitten help her?  Anyway -- she has to find out who the killer is to save herself from a permanent vacation in jail...

This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it very much.  Which is saying a lot, since I normally don't read fantasy.  Guess I'm just too rooted in reality.  Oh, well...but I loved it.  I loved all the characters, especially the fact there's no 'evil nemesis' (a real bane for me).  The characters are well-drawn and most of them have depth, but when the book centers on a main character, it takes time to flesh everyone out.

The mystery was done wonderfully, with enough questions that deserved -- and found -- answers throughout the book.  And I loved, just loved, little Aneksi and her arrogance.  Being a lover and owner of cats, I know what arrogance they can, and do, have.  Discovering more about her throughout the book was indeed fun.

When the murderer was revealed, I discovered it right around the same time as Rebecca, which is very good, since I usually guess the killers early on in the book.  The ending came together nicely, and gave us a hint of what to expect in the next book.  Recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Claws-Curses-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D2M32C3G/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6562866077

 More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/DeAnna-Drake/author/B0CJ9X4KSC?ref

The Deadly Dealer (A Gamblin' Granny Cozy Mystery Novella)

Author:    Chelsea Thomas

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0C6B5QMWW

Independently Published

90 Pages

$2.99 Amazon

April 30, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Granny solved a huge mystery in Toluca Lake, and then she disappeared.  The woman is gruff, tough, and no nonsense.  But it's not like her to vanish like that.

Something serious must have happened...

...like murder.

Everywhere Granny goes, she's got poker on the brain.  In line at the grocery store, she's reading people, trying to figure out who can be trusted.  She tests out her bluffing skills on family and friends just to keep everyone sharp.  Sometimes she bets on the weather, or how long until the dog barks, or how many minutes until a newscaster clears their throat on air. 

She is a woman who craves excitement, who lives on her tippy-toes, and who runs toward danger with a determined look in her eye.

She's also a woman with secrets.

This time, the secrets of Granny's past have come back to haunt her if she doesn't get past all the lies and find the truth, she could end up dead.  And so could the people she loves.

Will Granny manage to quit while she's ahead?  Or is she about to place her last bet?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Granny Petunia is heading to Florida to see her boyfriend Chip, who owns a riverboat.  Along for the ride is her new dog, who saved her from being killed back in California.  She thinks she knows why the man was trying to kill her, but not who hired him.  So heading on west, she and her new friend are trying to stay under the radar.  When she arrives she greets an old friend who also happens to be able to help her disguise herself with a new 'do and other things to make her less recognizable.  She also finds out that Chip has been arrested for murder -- right when she arrives at the riverboat.  Now she wonders if she'll be able to stay under the radar while trying to find out who the murderer is...and who wants her dead...

This is a spin-off novella of the Dog Groomer Mysteries, with Petunia getting her very own story.  I honestly have to say that while I love the former mysteries, I was skeptical that Petunia could hold her own on a new series.  Mainly because she's snarky and mean-spirited.  I know she means well in the long run, but sometimes she runs over the top.  Saying that, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this mystery.

There's plenty of action, and although we don't get to see a lot of Chip in the book, we do get Petunia in full form solving a mystery without the help of her California crew.  It's interesting, fun, and full of plenty of action.  There's enough of everything to keep people reading, and Petunia does what she does best -- being full of energy, ideas, and, of course, snark.  Recommended.

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

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Dealer-Thrilling-Adventure-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0C6B5QMWW

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6541137934

More on Chelsea Thomas's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/chelsea-thomas/

A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor (Food & Spirits Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Darci Hannah

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496747440

Kensington Cozies

320 Pages

$27.00; $12.99 Amazon

August 20, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It isn't how chef Bridget "Bunny" MacBride imagined her own cooking show unfolding.  But, if preparing historic meals with a modern flair is what it takes to get her cooking on the air, she can deliver, even if her dinner guest is a ghost.  That's the premise of the new reality TV show, Food & Spirits, where Chef Bunny teams up with ghost hunter Brett Bloom and psychic medium Giff McGrady to visit haunted locales around the world and tempt lingering spirits back to the table with a beloved meal.  For their first episode, the Food & Spirits team sets off to investigate Bramsford Manor, a historic house turned famously haunted hotel.  In picturesque Hampshire, England.  The sprawling estate is said to be home to the Mistletoe Bride, a young woman who died in the 18th century, the victim of a tragic accident on her Christmas wedding night.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Bridget "Bunny" MacBride is a Scottish chef who's come to live in the USA.  She's part of a cooking show with a famous chef, having her own segment.  But when she clashes with the woman, suddenly her life has changed.  She's offered her own show -- Food & Spirits, -- and jumps at the chance.  What she doesn't know until later is that the "spirits" part isn't about alcoholic beverages.  It's about actual spirits.  In other words, ghosts.

Bunny isn't happy about this, since she left Scotland to get away from ghosts of her old life.  But soon enough she finds out that they're traveling to England to contact the Mistletoe Bride -- a woman who died on her wedding night at Christmas -- and there's no way out for her.  What she really doesn't expect is to see the ghost of her white rabbit, Hopper, or to need the help of her grandma, who is an actual psychic.  But here, the unexpected becomes reality, and she soon finds that reality isn't all what it's cracked up to be...

This is the first book in a new series by Darci Hannah, one of my favorite authors.  It's a sort of a spin off from the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries, in that Brett Bloom, who was a 'guest' ghosthunter in that series, and turns up again in this series, as part of the group.  Saying that, let's get to the story without giving away any spoilers (if I can).

The crew is invited to the Manor by a historian who is chronicling the past of the manor and the tale of the Mistletoe Bride, and wants them to attempt to contact her.  But on the night of the dinner -- being made magnificently by Bunny, and filmed by the ghosthunters, she sees the ghost of Hopper, and her life changes.  Suddenly she's now a murder suspect, and calls her grandma for help.  During the investigation, she doesn't know who believes her and who doesn't; but it doesn't matter anyway because she and grandma -- and the crew -- are trying to figure out who killed the person.

Unfortunately, it has to be someone who was at Bramsford Manor that night, which includes all of the staff, and even the owners.  Can Bunny figure it out?   But what's even more important, can she figure out what is going on with her, and can she stop running from herself at last?

I have to say that I just loved this book.  It had all the elements of a good story -- a protagonist with a tragic background (explained in the book so no cliffhangers!); interesting characters all around, and the best, a little paranormal activity to keep you interested.  And interested I was, finishing this book far too soon and wanting more!  Giff is a hoot, and when he's with grandma, you have two hoots and a half...if I may say so (ha).  Brett is a bit more skeptical, but being a ghosthunter, he'd better figure it out, and he does; but I think unwillingly, anyway.  I also liked many of the secondary characters as well, which is a big plus.  

When the ending comes and we finally figure out the murderer, I have to say that I was completely surprised by this.  That's a good thing.  I read far too many mysteries where I figure out the killer way before our protagonist does.  But this also was intriguing in the fact that we find out more than the motive -- the killer gives us enough reasons to wonder how anyone in the manor couldn't even suspect them.  They go to great lengths to keep it all hidden, and do so magnificently.

In the end, we are given a hint of what is to come in future books (which I hope will happen soon) and some truly delicious-looking recipes that I plan to try myself!  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/dp/1496747445?tag=speculativefic05&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6482654471

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

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/

No Strangers Here (A County Kerry Novel Book 1)

Author:    Carlene O'Connor

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496737526; 9781496737533

Kensington Books

336 Pages

$18.47; $16.95; $13.49 Amazon

October 25, 2022

⭐⭐⭐

On a rocky beach in the southwest of Ireland, the body of a wealthy racehorse owner Johnny O'Reilly has been discovered.  In a town like Dingle, everyone knows a little something about everyone else.  But dig a bit deeper, and there's always much more to find.  And when Detective Inspector Cormac O'Brien is dispatched out of Killarney to lead the murder inquiry, he's determined to unearth every last buried secret.

Dimpna Wilde hasn't been home in years.  But faced with a triple bombshell -- her mother is rumored to have been in a relationship with Johnny, her father's dementia is escalating, and her brother is avoiding her calls -- Dimpna moves back to Dingle to clear her family of suspicion.  And as she takes over the family practice, she finds herself in a race with the detective inspector to uncover the dark, twisting truth behind the murder, no matter how close to home it strikes...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Dr. Dimpna Wilde is a veterinarian just like her father.  She's had tragedy in her life, including the fact that her husband killed himself after a public scandal.  But when she learns that in her hometown of Dingle, where she hasn't been for decades, there's been a murder of a man she knows well and that one of her parents is suspected of the killing, she packs up her menagerie of pets and goes home.

What she finds distresses her -- her father is in the stages of dementia and his practice is falling apart, and her mother now reads the Tarot to locals.  Her brother won't return her calls, and her son Ben is telling her he's in Spain with a new girlfriend.  But the worst thing is she's come fact-to-face with the son of the dead man -- she's hated him forever and now his mother is throwing the accusations on her family.  Dimpna decides to do the only thing she can:  find the murderer before the new inspector in town makes a terrible mistake.  But what will the cost be to her and her loved ones?...

This is the first book in a new series by Ms. O'Connor.  As I love her other series, I wanted to read this, even though it was listed as a "dark cozy."  It is not.  Although foul language doesn't offend me, there is quite a bit of it in this book which exempts it from being a true cozy.  Just throwing that out there, folks.

The plot is rather convoluted, and every character (save the inspector and the other garda) has a connection, tenuous or not, to each other.  Each little thread pulls them closer together, and it gives out terrible secrets, lies, and betrayals.  Dimpna's latest tragedy connects to one that occurred twenty-seven years ago, and it becomes the focus of the book.  It is rather sad, terribly horrid, and there are more secrets to come.

I had a difficult time reading this book.  Mainly because it was rather boring and halfway through, I nearly didn't finish it.  But I wanted to find the outcome, so I plodded forward.  Unfortunately, this book didn't enchant nor enthrall me whatsoever.  Everything seemed to come down to one thing, and the terrible part is that I couldn't connect with any of the characters.  Dimpna has practically no personality, and we aren't given much to go on regarding the others.    While I will give Ms. O'Connor the benefit of the doubt as to creating new characters, I hope that everything goes better in the next book.

I won a copy of this book but it in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Here-County-Kerry-Novel-ebook/dp/B09RGG842R/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4994538719

More on Carlene O'Connor's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/carlene-oconnor/

Murders at the Winterbottom Women's Institute (Prunella Pearce Mystery #1)

Author:    Gina Kirkham

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781914614965

Bloodhound Books

342 Pages

$11.57; $7.99 Amazon

May 11, 2022

⭐⭐⭐

Librarian Prunella Pearce has left heartbreak behind to start a new life in the village of Winterbottom, where there's little social life to be had aside from the meetings of The Winterbottom Women's Institue at the parish hall.

But a bit of excitement ensues when the group is about to elect a new president -- and the nominees for the position begin dropping like flies.  One is found face down in a lemon drizzle cake, stabbed with a crochet needle.  Another nearly dies spectacularly in the revolving doors of a Harrogate hotel.  When Pru and her friend Bree agree to do some undercover snooping to help the police, little do they know that one of the Winterbottom women is hiding a scandalous secret...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Prunella Pearce caught her boyfriend of twelve years in bed with her best friend, she moved to a small village to begin anew.  As a librarian, she's found a semi-peaceful life and a new friend in Bree, a film researcher with a young son.  Her life, while not complete, is at least fairly peaceful.  That is, until she attends a meeting at the Women's Institute with Bree.  It appears Bree, along with several other women, has been nominated to be the new president.

But there's a problem -- one of the women has been found stabbed in the next with a crochet needle.  Now there's a murderer on the loose, and they seem to be targeting members of the group.  With the town wondering who's next, it's up to the police force to figure it all out...and with a little unauthorized help from the two women, they just might do that...

Oh, dear.  I really wanted to like this book.  But it's not really cozy, and I don't know what to label it.  First off, the characters aren't really given any depth.  Where is Bree's son while she's out getting plastered every chance she gets?  Is she leaving him alone?  Does he even exist?

I did not like the fact that senior women are depicted as "defective."  There is something wrong with every one of them.  As a matter of fact, they are all concerned with aging, and those that aren't dress themselves up like tarts to take on the town.  It appears Bree and Pru are the only ones not concerned about much... except drinking and sex.  I don't even know when they work, since they're never at their jobs.

There are a lot of conversations regarding sex, innuendos aplenty, mild sex scenes that don't have anything of much, and more conversations about sex.  This is what every woman has on her mind at one time or another, it appears.  Plus, Pru's relationship with Detective Andy Barnes jumps at a rapid pace itself.  One wonders if they even know anything about each other.

Then there is also the animal cruelty.  Not much; and not blatant, but unnecessary just the same.  It could have been handled differently.  I love animals and am not happy about that. 

Then at the last, we know who the murderer is right off.  We watch that person plan and kill, why they do it is rather sad, but I rarely read mysteries where the killer is known immediately.  It takes away the enjoyment of discovering who they are yourself, and there's really nothing to discover.  Except the fact that the women can't figure it out, even when the clues are there.  The ending had a different twist to it, and that was something, but again, as we knew the killer all along, it didn't really matter to me.  I wouldn't have finished this book except for the fact that I wanted to give the author a chance, and I will by reading the next in the series.

https://www.amazon.com/Murders-Winterbottom-Institute-Prunella-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09YTH1BZB/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5619631333

More on Rita Kirkham's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/Gina-Kirkham/author/B072M12HYH?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref

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