Catch Me If Yukon (A Passport to Peril Mystery #12)

Author:  Maddy Hunter
Genre:  Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9780738753973
Midnight Ink Publishing
312 Pages
$15.99; $11.99 Amazon
December 8, 2018

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As tour escort Emily Miceli leads her globetrotting band of Iowa seniors into the wilds of Alaska, she discovers that, in the land of the midnight sun, whales aren't the only killers on the prowl.  When a tour member turns up dead on a mountainous hiking trail, Emily blames herself for the mishap - until she learns that something far hairier might be to blame.

One of the seniors snaps a photo of what looks to be Bigfoot, raising many questions about what happened to the victim.  But the illusive sasquatch is just a legend, isn't it?  Between whale-watching in the glacial waters near Seward and ziplining in the primal forests of Denali, Emily finds herself locked in a game of cat and mouse with a killer who's too clever to be mere myth.

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Emily Andrew-Miceli and her husband Etienne own a tour company that caters to a lively group of Iowa seniors, along with others who may sign up - and usually do.  This time out they're traveling through Alaska, along with members of a local book club who are 'first timers' on the tour.

While Emily doesn't want any problems along the way, she always expects them, because that's pretty much been the luck of this luckless group.  This time out the seniors are being a usual rambunctious bunch, as they always are, and along with the group are Emily's parents, Margaret and Bob.  Margaret is there because she thinks she needs to keep an eye on Emily's Nana, her mother, who doesn't need help from anyone.

Yet while on a whale watching boat, Margaret is the one Emily needs to keep an eye on.  When she senses danger ("Run for your lives!") where there is none, Emily fears that from this moment on the tour is going to be a disaster...and she's not far off.

Then there is an argument on a tram between a particularly nasty guest - Thor Iverson (who thinks he's smarter than anyone else) and a retired newspaper owner, Delpha Spillum, that doesn't end peacefully.  Later that evening Delpha doesn't arrive for dinner and Emily is worried.  But after texting her, Delpha texts back that she's decided to walk back to their lodgings instead.

So Emily relaxes for a little while...which is the wrong thing to do (of course) when Delpha's body is discovered on the trail.  Yet no one seemed to have a reason to kill the woman, and while the investigation is ongoing, they continue on with their tour.

Along with this Emily's life is about to get even more complicated by her ex-husband Jack who's now female friend Jackie and an employee of their company.  Emily has given her a fairly easy assignment:  travel with a different group of seniors to a new Iowa amusement park that's centered around farming (yes, around farming).  She thinks that will be easy enough...until the calls start coming in.  It seems one of the seniors has had a slight skin reaction to one of Jackie's makeovers and is in the hospital.  But that's minor compared to the rest of them...

Then there's the fact that a traveler whose wife had an emergency at the last minute and couldn't come isn't able to be reached; one of the travelers is making goo-goo eyes at Emily's hired tour escort Alison and won't let her out of his sight; her father seems to have inadvertently taken a picture of Big Foot and the press are following the group everywhere trying to get him to talk (which won't be easy considering the man doesn't make coherent sentences very often); and as if this wasn't enough, one more member of their group makes a trip with Destinations Travel a final destination...

While it seems like I've given a lot of background on this book, it's not enough.  As you can tell, there's plenty going on, and I'm surprised poor Emily isn't in a wheelchair by now with everything her seniors put her through.

I've read every single one in this series so far, and I have to say that I've never been disappointed in any of them.  The conversations between the seniors have me laughing out loud at times ("Hush, you Muskies!") and while they're quite a handful, I'd have the time of my life traveling with them anywhere they go.

I've actually become quite fond of Nana, the two Dicks, Tilly, and the others (even Bernice) and love being a part of their world.  If this is your first foray into the domain of the Windsor City, Iowa seniors you're in for a real treat.  If not, you probably feel much the same as I do.

While Emily is worried - because the police aren't sharing any information at this time - that Delpha's death wasn't merely an accident, she's not letting on to anyone except her ex-policeman husband Etienne.  And if he knows anything more than her, he's not telling. 

As always, Ms. Hunter does not disappoint in either humor nor action, and there are plenty of both.  She writes with a definite flair and gives enough background on wherever they are at the moment that you almost feel as if you are traveling along with the group.  The writing flows easily off the page and the tale is spun nicely.

In the end, when everything is starting to come together, there are more than a few surprises.  Yes, there are a couple of things you can start to figure out on your own, but I will say that still I was surprised at the ending, and that's a good thing.  The only problem I have is having to wait so long for the next installment of the series.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Catch-Yukon-Passport-Peril-Mystery/dp/0738753971/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2475962993

More on Maddy Hunter's Books:

In Peppermint Peril (A Book Tea Shop Mystery #1)

Author:  Joy Avon
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781683317937
Crooked Lane Books
$26.99; $12.99 Amazon
November 13, 2018

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This Christmas, Callie Aspen returns to her childhood hideout Heart's Harbor, Maine where her great aunt runs Book Tea, a vintage tearoom where every sweet treat contains a bookish clue.  Upon arrival in the fairy-tale snowy town, Callie is drawn into the preparations for a special tea party at Haywood Hall, the rambling house of Heart's Harbor's oldest resident, rich but lonely widow Dorothea Finster, who invited her estranged relatives, old friends and the elite of the town to make a mysterious announcement about her will.

Believing they can touch a part of her fortune, everybody is determined to come, despite not liking each other or their hostess.  And Callie's old friend Sheila complicates things by using the tea party to announce her daughter's engagement, even though her daughter isn't sure she's in love with the young lawyer her mother thinks so perfect for her.

Catering to people who each have their own agenda isn't easy for the Book tea crew, especially once the valuable engagement ring goes missing and a dead body turns up in the conservatory.  Can Callie and her great aunt use their love of clues to dig into the crimes and show their unhappy hostess and squabbling guests the true Christmas spirit?

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When I started this book, I didn't know what to expect, since this is a new author and the beginning to a new series.  While I felt it began slightly slow, as the story went on I realized that this could indeed be a nice series to come home to.  Why, you ask?  Well, my review should tell you what I mean.

Callie Aspen has come home to spend the holidays with her Aunt Iphy, who runs the Book Tea tearoom.  Iphy has been asked to provide a tea for an old friend, wealthy widow Dorothea Finster.  Dorothea's family and friends are attending because they've been told that she wants to make an announcement regarding her will.

But unbeknownst to Dorothea, the wife of her only relative, Stephen Du Bouvrais, has a surprise of her own.  Sheila has decided to turn the occasion into an impromptu engagement party for her daughter Amber - without even consulting the girl.  When Callie arrives, she sees Sheila again and is surprised that she's manipulating everything the way she wants it, not Dorothea.  She shows Callie the ring she wants hidden inside the cake - which will be cut by Amber's prospective husband Ben - and when everyone arrives and that indeed occurs, Callie is surprised to find the ring missing from the box.  

With Ben feeling humiliated and running away, Amber upset and leaving the room, and Sheila demanding to know where the ring has gone, Dorothea realizes that everything has gone wrong.  It's not too long after that when Callie hears a scream and Amber comes out of the conservatory exclaiming that the old gardener Leadenby is dead.  Callie is trying to keep the situation under control but it's nearly impossible, and wonders who would have wanted to kill him?

But before she can find out the truth, she's going to have to deal with the people around her wanting to keep their secrets hidden, and a surly Deputy who never expected he'd have to deal with a murder in their quiet town.  But which one of these people wanted Leadenby dead, and did he have secrets of his own that got him killed?

I felt that this book was slightly different because the protagonist isn't the usual type we find in cozy mysteries.  She's a 39-year-old tour guide who's come home to spend Christmas with her great aunt.  She didn't lose her job or break away from a bad relationship.  There's a hint that she left town because she was hurt that Stephen chose Sheila over her, but there's no angst over it.  She actually wears makeup (not lip gloss which I really feel is better suited for teens, not grown women) and isn't Too Stupid To Live.

Callie asks questions of people, but isn't really invasive and is truly interested in helping them.  She seems to me to be a bit of a Fixer; because she's a tour guide she probably has to deal with 'people problems' and I get the feeling that she truly wants to help people, not just grill them about the murder.

Callie eliminates suspects one by one, but she doesn't withhold information from Deputy Falk, going so far as to seek him out to share what she's learned so far.  While he doesn't specifically tell her to stay out of the situation, he does tell her to be careful - giving us the impression that this is his first murder investigation and he's also learning as he goes; it gives him a human quality that's nice.

There were a couple of disappointments, however; I did feel that it was irresponsible of Falk to offer her a beer knowing she had to drive - in winter, no less, and a long way into town from where he lived.  He should have said something along the lines of: "I'm going to have a beer.  I'd offer you one, but you're driving.  Would you like a soda or coffee?"  I can forgive a lot in books, but I do have a hard time with people drinking and driving, and worse when it comes to a police officer doing it like it's no big thing.  I would also like to see it expanded on as to why Falk doesn't like Christmas.  There's a mystery there about him that's worth exploring further.

I didn't much care for the character of Sheila; she seemed pretentious and I hate pretentious people.  Yes, she married well and has money, but that's no reason to act superior around people and order them to do things.  I also didn't feel the connection between her and Stephen, but since it wasn't a major plot point, it didn't really matter. 

But I did wonder why Agatha Christie kept coming up when there was nothing about Dame Christie in the book at all.  Yes, the cake had book clues, but none about this particular author, which left me a little disappointed, especially since I don't read the author they did concern. 

However, it was written fairly well and I liked how it all came together in the end.  I enjoyed the fact that there was no 'evil nemesis' to throw a wrench in the works (let's hope the sheriff doesn't come back to town and decide off the bat he doesn't like Callie and try to make her life miserable).  Callie proved herself to be a capable woman who doesn't fall apart in a crisis and can think on her feet.  In other words, an admirable person.  

While the murder itself wasn't too involved, it was still a delightful endeavor, and there were some nice subplots along the way that kept the story moving along.  All in all, a gratifying story with a decent ending that leaves us looking toward the possibilities of Haywood Hall in the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Peppermint-Peril-Book-Shop-Mystery/dp/1683317939/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2472528451

More on Joy Avon's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/joy-avon/

Goodbye Cruller World (A Deputy Donut Shop Mystery #2)

Author:  Ginger Bolton
Genre:  Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496711892
Kensington Publishing
256 Pages
$15.95; $9.95 Amazon
August 28, 2018

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Named after her beloved Tabby, Deputy Donut, Emily Westhill's donut shop in small-town Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is doing so well, she's expanding into catering weddings.  But a killer is about to crash the reception...

Normally, Emily's eyes tend to glaze over when prospective brides go on about their wedding plans.  But when the owner of the clothing shop, Dressed to Kill, asks Emily to design a donut wall for her reception, she's immediately sweet on the idea.  With the help of her father-in-law and business partner - the former police chief of Fallingbrook - she hangs the treats from dowels on the wall so guests can help themselves.

But that night, when the groom ends up on the floor with signs of poisoning, Emily suspects someone has tampered with her treats.  When the groom dies, there's no way to sugarcoat it: she's got a murder on her hands.  Despite a list of suspects as long as the guest list, Emily vows to find out who created the killer confection to save her shop's reputation and keep the bride out of handcuffs.  She'll have to move fast...before the poisoner takes a powder.

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When Emily Westhill and her partner and father-in-law Tom are asked to do a 'donut wall' for a wedding couple, they agree.  Emily decides to visit Jennifer, her next-door business neighbor and the prospective bride, to pick up some clothing she ordered and unfortunately comes across what appears to be an argument and passes an angry woman leaving the shop.  She learns from a tearful Jenn that the woman is her sister Suzanne and is against the wedding and wants her to cancel.

While Emily and Tom are setting up the wall they view another argument - this time, she figures out, between the groom and Jenn and what she sees makes her realize that maybe Suzanne was right, since Roger seems to be a particularly nasty person.  But it's not until later in the evening when Emily can join the party and leave her duties aside.  When she returns to her wall she notices that someone has dipped a cruller in what appears to be powdered sugar, and she didn't sugar any of them.  Then she sees Roger on the floor and calls her friend Scott, who is fire chief.

After calling Brent Fyne, homicide detective and partner of her late husband, she's told to get everyone out of the building, which she does.  When it's discovered that Roger's been poisoned in a room full of people, the investigation begins - along with investigator Yvonne Passenmath who hates Emily for her own reasons.  But finding a killer might be harder than it seems...

I will say that I liked this book better than the first; some of the characters have a little more depth to them, and that's always a good thing.  But to be honest, there are still some things that I didn't like.  One, is Brent going to be removed from leading investigations in every book because of his ties to Emily?  So far, there have been two books and in both he's been shunted aside for Yvonne.

Which brings us to Yvonne:  A completely unlikable character with no redeeming qualities, including the ability to put together a homicide case, which makes me wonder if she was 'sleeping with the boss' to get her shield.  She couldn't make it under Tom's former administration, so there must be a reason...(let's face it, in two cases so far she got both wrong so shouldn't even be a detective)...

Also, Tom and Emily had no reason to want Roger dead - they didn't even know the man before the day of the wedding - so without a motive they should have been removed immediately, yet Yvonne hates Emily and keeps 'trying' to pin a murder on her.  Another reason why she shouldn't be on the case.  She can't keep her personal feelings out of it - which seem to be limited to anger since that's all the reader ever sees.


Below is a hidden spoiler that partially deals with the ending, so please, please do not read if you have not read the book!  It is nothing derogatory, but mentions a couple of things that bothers me.

Yvonne's so stupid that she sees the killer is handcuffed and Jenn is not, yet tears toward her with an arrest warrant and screaming her name, leaving the other cops mystified. All she had to do was ask what was going on; as a matter of fact, a good detective would already know but she wants to arrest Jenn because she was the spouse, even if there isn't enough evidence to prove it. Two screw ups of trying to pin a murder on innocent people? I, for one, am so tired of the 'evil nemesis' showing up in books with the same premise - usually a cop or ex-girlfriend that hates the protagonist - and wish Yvonne would get demoted and leave the series. Also, where did Lois go? It's mentioned that her house is vacant, but nothing is said as to why. She had no reason to leave, and when Emily helps the Knitpickers into the store, not one of them mentions Lois or her nephew Randy; I'm sure I'm not the only person that would like the answer, as in the previous book we also never found out why Georgia had a doll and donuts stuffed into her mouth. No reason was given, and that's so unfair to the reader. Details count! Anyone who knows me knows details are big with me and I notice them throughout the book.

I do like the fact that Emily doesn't put herself into bad situations (at least willingly) nor question people by getting 'right up in their face.'  At least she tries to sound subtle, and, if need be, leans on her friends Misty and Samantha for backup.  That's a big plus.  The romance angle has stalled a little - it's been a year, so I would have liked to have seen it progress a little further than it has, but it's no big deal because the mystery was first and foremost.

I also liked the fact we learned a little bit more about the characters - Tom's wife Cindy is a teacher; more about Emily's relationship to her own parents; and that Brent loves Dep (which makes him a great guy in my book).  These are the kind of details I like to read about.

The mystery was done well, and there were plenty of red herrings red herrings strewn about, giving us a lot to sift through and eliminate suspects on our own; and the clues to the killer were right in front of us and even more so as we progressed throughout the book.  Everything was tied up nicely (even if the killer was a psycho) and I liked that the ending gave us a bit of a clue toward the next in the series, which I will read.  Very nice indeed.  Recommended.

https://smile.amazon.com/Goodbye-Cruller-World-Deputy-Mystery/dp/1496711890/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2471351873

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

Survival of the Fritters (A Deputy Donut Mystery #1)

Author:  Ginger Bolton
Genre:  Mystery

Trade Paperback; Audio CD; Digital Book
ISBN:  9781496711878; 9781977355201
Kensington Publishing (Tantor Audio)
256 Pages
$12.31; $22.83; $6.99 Amazon
January 30, 2018

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If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it's to stay calm during stressful situations.  But that's a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing.  Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle.  Her pals fear the worst - especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town.  As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home.  And they find her - murdered among a scattering of stale donuts...

Disturbingly, Georgia's demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son's murder, a case Emily's late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death.  With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man's life at stake, Emily's forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers.  Though someone's alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind.  And if Emily can't trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business...

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Emily Westhill is the widow of a police detective.  She and her father-in-law Tom, retired police chief, own Deputy Donuts, a coffee and donut shop in town.  The shop is named after Emily's cat Deputy Donut, who now goes by the name of Dep.

One morning she notices that a regular group of elderly knitters is missing one of their members.  Georgia Treeter never misses a day, and it's remarked upon by the others, including a new woman she's never seen before.  When she's introduced to Lois Underlaw, the new member, Lois tells her how she's Georgia's best friend and has only recently returned to town.  Later that evening the group returns to the shop and asks Emily if she wants to go with them to see if Georgia is alright.

When they arrive at Georgia's home, they find no sign of a disturbance, but still can't find her.  Unfortunately, while exploring the home it's Emily who comes across Georgia's body...and her mouth has been stuffed with a doll wearing donuts as a skirt.  After calling 911, Emily and the others are questioned and released, yet Emily feels a need to help find the killer.

Later she discovers that her cat Dep has found something in her garden and she follows her, hearing a low 'help.'  What she finds is that there is an opening in the wall between her house and the next, and when she goes to investigate she finds Lois on the ground.  Lois tells her she fell, and while talking Emily learns that Lois thinks Dep is her cat and has named her Tiger.  She later discovers that Lois is lying, and is the aunt of Randy Underlaw, a local bad boy who had also left town five years ago and returned when his aunt did.

But now Emily has a problem.  Lois is obviously lying about falling, and there are other inconsistencies in her story as well.  What it's all leading up to is the fact that she knows more than she's saying about Georgia's murder, and Randy may be involved also.  But what's disconcerting is the fact that she now has to deal with her late husband Alec's partner Brent Fyne, who's never stepped foot in the shop and whom she's had no contact with in the years after Alec's death.  While it all seems too much to bear, Emily hasn't a choice if she's going to find out the truth of what happened to Georgia and how it's connected to the death of Georgia's son Matthias, who also was murdered five years ago...

Well, I have to say that I wasn't real sure about this book after reading the first pages.  First, we never get to meet Georgia, so there's no real connection to the character, and it's hard to feel sympathy for someone you know nothing about.  We don't understand why Emily feels the need to solve the case.  How well did she know her?  Was she just a customer?  Did she have any interaction with the woman?  We never find out.

Then, Emily was married to a cop and was a 911 dispatcher, yet she has no trouble at all disturbing a crime scene - first by removing the doll from the victim's mouth and then telling a bunch of women to walk around the house looking for footprints, instead of staying outside by the van and calling the police immediately.  Is she the stupidest woman on the face of the earth?  No matter how 'shocked' she says she is, a 911 operator should know better.

Then, Lois just sees a 'stray' cat that looks like it's well-fed and taken care of and only shows up for a little while each night (which must be since Dep belongs to Emily and she doesn't leave her alone for long and keeps her in at night) and decides to name and 'adopt' it?  Really?  She doesn't notice her collar (which she must have if Emily leashes her to take her to the shop every day)?  I have to say that the conversation they were at first having was confusing since I thought they were talking about two different cats.  When I realized they were both talking about Dep, though Lois had named her Tiger, I was wondering why Lois would think this was her cat since she couldn't have been spending a lot of time with Dep - or why she continued to call Dep Tiger, knowing her real name.

Emily also knows Lois was attacked - even if Lois wouldn't admit it - but she has no problem allowing her cat to spend time in Lois's home.  Obviously she doesn't care that if the attacker were to come back and was serious about hurting Lois, that they wouldn't have any qualms about hurting Emily's cat, either.  Again, stupid woman.  And I, for one, wouldn't share my cat.  I'd tell the person (nicely, of course) that perhaps we could go to the shelter together and pick out a nice cat for her.

Then there's a supposed nemesis of Emily's named Yvonne Passenmath, who hates her because Alec chose Emily and not her.  He didn't even date her, and she's been holding a grudge against Emily for over seven years because of something that never happened?  Really?  Then the fact that it's stated that Yvonne couldn't pass the detective exam in their city but managed to do so in another and now has been made lead on the case doesn't make any sense.  Was their exam easier to pass?  Because you'd think the exam would be the same all over the state.  Especially since her colleagues state that she did sloppy police work.  So how did this happen?  I, for one, am so, so tired of the "evil nemesis" in books.  Honestly, how many people hate your guts enough to want to ruin your life?  I've stopped reading series because of this, just like I've stopped reading series with love triangles.  At any rate, I certainly hope Yvonne doesn't show up in future books to make Emily miserable.

Now that I've got the bad things out of the way, on to the good:  the plot was a decent one, and I liked the idea that we never really knew who the killer was, since there were several suspects along the way.  I also liked the way the story picked up after the first initial problems that I've mentioned above.  However, I really would have liked to have known how Alec actually died; I think it would have given more 'teeth' to the story and given us a bit of sympathy for Emily.  It doesn't tell us why she's had such an aversion to Brent for the past three years.

There's also a spoiler below that gives away some of the final information, so please don't read it if you haven't read the book and intend to do so.

We also never learn why Georgia had the doll shoved in her mouth or why the killer added the donuts. That doesn't make any sense if you don't tell us the reason. Nor does it make sense that the killer, who thought he was so smart, would have left incriminating evidence in the car he was showing Emily. Why would he do that? He knew he was showing her the car, but he left everything in there for her to discover?

In the end, this was a decent start to a new series, and when everything was revealed it had a satisfying ending.  I would like to see this series continue and will read the next book in the hope that the glitches have been worked out.  There are also some nice recipes in the back for those who like to cook.

https://smile.amazon.com/Survival-Fritters-Deputy-Donut-Mystery/dp/1496711874/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2227305644

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

A Souffle of Suspicion (A French Bistro Mystery #2)

Author:  Daryl Wood Gerber
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781683315865
Crooked Lane Books
325 Pages
$25.25; $9.99 Amazon
July 10, 2018

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Crush Week in Nouvelle Vie is a madhouse - in a good way.  Tourists pour into town for the pressing of the Napa Valley's world-renowned grapes, and all the town's businesses gets a nice lift, including Bistro and Maison Rousseau.  Mimi is raising the ante this year with a Sweet Treats Festival, a wonderland of croissants, cakes, tarts, and soufflés crafted with expert care by the area's top talents.

Chef Camille's sister, Renee, is managing the festival with a cast-iron fist, upsetting everyone, including her sister - which is bad for Camille when Renee turns up dead in the chef's kitchen.  Mimi is still building her business, so her first course of action is to whip up answers and catch the unsavory perpetrator before Camille takes a dusting and gets burned.

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Mimi Rousseau owns an inn and bistro in Nouvelle Vie, California.  It is crush week, and tourists are filling the town, also to participate in the first-ever Sweet Treats Festival, being run by Chef Camille's sister Renee, who has left her husband to manage the festival.  Everything seems to be going fine, but then problems begin to arise - arguments between Renee and others; Renee's husband Rusty showing up and wanting her to come home again.

While Mimi isn't really concerned, that all changes when she receives a phone call from Camille and arrives at Camille's home to find Renee dead.  Camille is cleared of the crime shortly, but that still leaves plenty of suspects - and most of them are connected to the festival in one way or another.  Will Mimi be able to keep her bistro up and running with a killer on the loose?  Or will someone else be a target - including Mimi herself?

This is the second book in the French Bistro series, and as such I felt it was an improvement over the first.  The characters are better developed, and Mimi is finally finding her footing in her new venture and in her relationship with Nash, the ex-wine salesman who is now managing her mother's vineyard.

However, Nash's ex-wife Willow is trying to throw a wrench into the works as it were, and Mimi doesn't do a lot to stop her yet wondering how to deal with it.  She rather avoids the situation instead of confronting it head on, which makes her a contradiction of sorts since she has no problem confronting people about their alibis at the time of the murder and then verifying if they are telling the truth.  It's a little confusing how she'll confront possible murderers but not her boyfriend's ex-wife.  She says as how she likes Mimi, but since Willow is trying to break up her relationship with Nash it makes you wonder how Mimi thinks.  I'd be leery of someone like that, and I certainly wouldn't care for them much.

Mimi also laments how gorgeous Willow is compared to her.  Well, Willow wears makeup for one thing, and a little makeup goes a long way.  Perhaps Mimi should consider mascara, blush, lipstick (not lip gloss as these authors think all women wear, which is pretty much for preteens and teenagers) and a little eye shadow and she'd be surprised at the transformation.  (I honestly get so tired of all these protagonists 'throwing on a little lip gloss' and thinking they're hot.  Four out of five American women wear makeup every day - except in cozies - and you'd think it was an anomaly or something.  As one of those makeup-wearing women, I'd like to see at least a few of them wear more than lip gloss).  Anyway, that's just my opinion.

While her attention is focused instead on finding Renee's killer since she can see how miserable Camille is and she wants to ease her pain as much as she can, there is also a nice subplot of how Mimi is finding herself the owner of two cats who have appeared to have adopted her; and it's kind of sweet to see how she just allows the situation to continue and even sort of welcomes it when she feels she's a little nervous that the killer is getting a bit too close.

Close enough that the murderer thinks she's a threat and starts treating it as such; even though Mimi tries to brush it off, deep down she knows that someone is figuring out she's asking too many questions and isn't happy about it, and that's when things start to get interesting.

There are plenty of diversions and a lot going on, making for a very busy book indeed, but most of it is centered on the festival itself and the restaurant, leaving very little time for real clues to add up.  I enjoyed the mystery, there were plenty of red herrings, and the writing flowed at a nice pace.  However, if you pay attention the clues are there and the story was told well.

In the end everything was settled satisfactorily with all loose ties coming together nicely, and even a little bit of a teaser for the next in the series.  All in all it was an enjoyable read that makes us want to look for the next book.  There are quite a few nice recipes in the back also for those who enjoy baking (I do).  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Souffl%C3%A9-Suspicion-French-Bistro-Mystery/dp/1683315863/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2443336200

More on Daryl Wood Gerber's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/daryl-wood-gerber/

'Twas the Knife Before Christmas (A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #2)

Author:  Jacqueline Frost
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781683318033
Crooked Lane Books
$26.99; $12.99 Amazon
November 13, 2018

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When a body turns up in a larger-than-life candy bowl filled with peppermints on the town square, Holly White is horrified to learn her best friend Caroline is the main suspect.  Everyone in town, including Mistletoe, Maine's sheriff, saw Caroline fighting with the victim on the night of his death.  Worse, a custom kitchen knife, engraved with Caroline's initials was found with him.

Now, just ten days before Christmas, Holly's up to her jingle bells in holiday shenanigans and in desperate need of a miracle.  Juggling extra shifts at her family's Christmas tree farm and making enough gingerbread jewelry to satisfy the crowd is already more than she can handle - and now she has to find time to clear her best friend of murder.  Add in her budding relationship with the sheriff, and personal stalker dressed as Santa Claus, and Holly's ready to fly south until springtime.

But her Sherpa-lined mittens come off when Caroline is taken into custody.  Can Holly wrap up the case in time for Christmas...even after she gains the true killer's attention?

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Welcome to Mistletoe, Maine, a town where it's always in holiday season...and fortuitously, it actually is close to Christmas and everyone is gearing up for the holiday.  Holly White's family owns the Reindeer Games Christmas tree farm, where guests are always welcome and there is plenty to keep everyone busy, but right now Holly is taking a break from the whirlwind, and visiting her friend Caroline West at the cupcake shop she owns and listening while she tells Holly of last night's fiasco.  Caroline is the daughter of the local mayor, and is expected to attend events in the company of young men her father knows.  Unfortunately, this one - Derek Waggoner, son of a judge - is not the gentleman he should be, and there is a confrontation between the two.

When Caroline, Holly and their friend Cookie go to the town square a little later to see the unveiling of the giant candy bowl full of mints they're in for a big surprise, and it's not just the red and white mints, but the red of blood....when the bowl is unveiled they see Derek, definitely dead, who's been stuffed inside.

When one of Caroline's kitchen knives is found along with the body, evidence is pointing toward her as the killer.  But Holly knows Caroline wouldn't have killed anyone, and even though Sheriff Evan Gray, Holly's maybe-boyfriend, is determined to follow the evidence, Holly doesn't have to do so, and decides to play a dangerous game of following clues to the killer instead.

Insert the fact that she still has jewelry orders to fill for Christmas, her mother's kitchen contractor is destroying things instead of building them, and her parents' plans for erecting an inn that Holly will be managing is giving her headaches because she's the one having to choose designs for the interior of it, not to mention that her relationship with Evan has pretty much come to a standstill.

Even so, Holly is determined to find out who's framing Caroline for a murder, and it could very well be the worst decision she's ever made; especially when it looks like the killer might actually be looking for another victim...

I read the first in this series and I liked it so well I decided to give the second one a go.  I have to say I'm glad I did, because this does not disappoint.  While some may think that it starts out a bit slow, I believe that it's mainly to give a little background for those who haven't read the first, and the fact that the groundwork needs to be laid for what is to follow.

And what follows is indeed enjoyable.  We are once again in the magical town of Mistletoe, and you will, by reading the book, eventually see just how magical this town is, for both Holly and her family.

Holly is determined to keep looking for a killer - surreptitiously, of course, and under Sheriff Gray's radar, she hopes - by questioning those most likely to have wanted Derek dead.  But she doesn't count on the fact that Derek's girlfriend Samantha has a wicked temper that flares up at any time which leads her to start throwing things - usually at Holly, it seems; nor that there was more than one woman who disliked the man enough to want him permanently gone.

Her investigating leads her to plenty of Derek's business ventures, which were more about his ego rather than anything he might have invested; and even as the evidence piles up against Caroline she's still convinced of her innocence, and still determined to find the real person responsible, even after she realizes there's a deranged Santa following her and leaving mints just like the ones in the bowl nearby - something she's sure Evan isn't taking seriously.

But Evan has problems of his own that he's not talking about, and her friend Ray Griggs is having a bit of a meltdown at the fact that his widowed mother is dating again and Holly finds him in most unusual places as he's following his mom 'to keep her safe'.

All of this adds up to a delicious mystery that keeps one interested and wanting to discover a killer along with our protagonist.  While I will state that I read a lot of mysteries, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I hadn't a clue about the killer right up until the point that Holly did, and that was indeed the best surprise of all.

Ms. Frost is a new addition to the cozy mystery genre, and one to keep an eye on, especially if her books keep one as entertained as this.  She has managed to make the second book in her series even more fun to read than the first, and that one was a pleasure in itself.  For those who have not as yet read The Twelve Slays of Christmas, I urge you to do so; you will not be disappointed.  I love mysteries, and plan on re-reading them both come the holiday season.

When all is said and done, there were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book, and even a couple of harrowing scenes for Holly.  The tale was woven like a tapestry, with each thread coming together nicely at the end, and leaving just enough of a hint of what is to come to make us eager for the next - which I hope is soon.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Twas-Knife-Before-Christmas-Mystery/dp/168331803X/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2461665712

More on Jacqueline Frost's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jacqueline-frost/ 

Paws for Murder (A Pet Boutique Mystery #1)

Author:  Annie Knox
Genre:  Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9780451239501
Berkley Publishing
320 Pages
$7.99l; $2.99 Amazon
January 4, 2014

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Izzy's own beloved pets are dressed to the nines for the grand opening of Trendy Tails.  Feisty feline Jinx is large and in charge, and happy mutt Packer is lapping up the attention.  Izzy and her best friend, Rena, have their hands full meeting Merryville's menagerie and serving tasty pupcakes and kitty canapés from their "barkery."  The last thing they need is Sherry Harper, the town's local activist, scaring off customers and getting tongues wagging by picketing the event.

The two manage to stop Sherry's protest in its tracks, but the trouble for Trendy Tails is just beginning.  Sherry is found murdered in the back of the shop, and Rena is immediately named as the lead suspect.  Now Izzy and her furry friends have a new pet project - collaring a killer.

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When Izzy McHale's life falls apart because her doctor boyfriend decides to hightail it out of town with another woman, she decides to open a pet clothing store and 'barkery' with her friend Rena Hamilton, and she thinks everything is going to be fine.  But she doesn't count on Sherry Harper, trust fund baby and local activist, who thinks it's cruel to dress up pets, picketing on opening night.

When there is a set-to outside her store during the opening, she finds Sherry and her ex-boyfriend Nick in the middle of a heated argument.  After Rena successfully ends the fiasco, the party continues.  Later in the night when Izzy is taking out the trash she sees something near the dumpster...which turns out to be Sherry, quite dead indeed.

When Rena is suspected of the crime, Izzy realizes her best friend couldn't possibly be guilty and since she thinks the police aren't even looking for anyone else she opts to find the killer herself rather than see her friend jailed for something she didn't do...

Well, this book started out interesting enough with a conversation between Sherry and Izzy.  But the more I read, the more it seemed rather silly.  A store dedicated to dressing up your dogs and cats?  Honestly, I own cats (and have owned dogs) and I can't imagine trying to put clothing of any kind on my cats.  Just trying would have me paying for it for months, if you know what I mean.

And to tell the truth, I've never really liked the idea of people clothing their dogs.  They're pets, for goodness' sake, not people.  While you think they may love being dressed up, they're dogs.  They only know they're getting attention, and are probably wondering what you're doing to them.  It's rather silly to see a dog in a tutu and makes me wonder about the person who did it - but enough about that...

Anyway, it is the first in a series and that always makes me want to give a book a chance, because you never know what you might find.  Sadly, it wasn't much.  Why did she decide to design for pets?  Especially in a small town?  She trained to be a clothing designer, and she could just as well have made clothing for people, even in said small town.  If the designs were nice enough, she could have started small and worked her way into a high-end boutique.  This would have made the series much more interesting.

Anyone who's read any of my reviews knows I'm a stickler for details, so to that end, this is where the book lost me:  early on in the book we are told (as I've mentioned) that Sherry is a trust fund baby.  Then later on - and this isn't much of a spoiler since it also occurs fairly early in the book - Rena tells Izzy how during a protest in Minneapolis Sherry hid a can of spray paint (she had used to deface a building) in Rena's backpack to hide it.  Rena then goes on to say that she got arrested for it and didn't have bail money, so spent three weeks in jail and had to sell plasma to pay for a bus ticket home.  (Not to mention that's a lot of plasma; I don't think they pay that much for it).  Hmm...Sherry was the reason she went to jail in the first place, and knew it.  Again - Trust Fund Baby.  So why didn't she pony up the bail money for Rena?  Why didn't she pay for the ticket home?  Rena just took the rap and didn't even do anything about it?  Really?  We’re supposed to buy this?  Rena is either the stupidest person in the world or the author thinks her audience is if they don't even question this.

Anyone knows that the incident in Minneapolis wouldn't have come to light as it was previous and had no bearing on the case.  She killed her because of three weeks in jail years ago?  Not plausible; so why it was even considered is beyond me.

Unfortunately, once a book loses me it's very hard to take anything else in it seriously, so I won't be reading any more of this series.

https://www.amazon.com/Paws-Murder-Pet-Boutique-Mystery/dp/0451239504/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2455881358

More on Annie Knox's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/annie-knox/