Amateurs Sleuths Archives – Page 8 of 9

Color Me Murder by Krista Davis [Book Review]

Posted on April 7, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Color Me Murder

Author: Krista Davis

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: February 27, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Pen & Ink #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

By day, Florrie Fox manages Color Me Read bookstore in Georgetown, Washington D.C. By night, she creates her own intricately detailed coloring books for adults, filling the pages with objects that catch her eye. There’s plenty of inspiration in her new apartment—a beautiful carriage house belonging to Professor John Maxwell, Florrie’s boss. He offers the property to Florrie rent-free with one condition—she must move in immediately to prevent his covetous sister and nephew from trying to claim it.

When the professor’s nephew, Delbert, arrives, he proves just as sketchy as Florrie feared. But the following morning, Delbert has vanished. It’s not until she visits the third floor of the store that Florrie makes a tragic discovery—there’s a trap door in the landing, and a dead Delbert inside. The esteemed Professor Maxwell is an obvious suspect, but Florrie is certain this case isn’t so black and white. Doodling clues, she begins to consider other colorful characters on the scene, all with a motive for murder. With a killer drawing closer, Florrie will need to think outside the lines . . . before death makes his mark again.

MY REVIEW

Florrie Fox manages the Color Me Read bookshop. She has wanted to move closer to the bookshop, but hasn’t been able to find anything she liked, or could afford. When her boss, Professor John Maxwell, offers his carriage house to her, she can’t resist. Unfortunately, Maxwell’s nephew Delbert had his eye on the carriage house. Delbert is not a likable guy, so when he goes missing nobody is too upset, but then Florrie discovers Delbert’s body in a trap door area in the bookshop. Maxwell is the obvious suspect, but Florrie doesn’t believe her boss to be capable of murder.

The first book in the Pen & Ink series. A cozy mystery with a likable cast of characters. I love the setting of the bookshop and carriage house in historic Georgetown, Washinton, D.C.

The story is told from Florrie’s point of view as she looks into Delbert’s demise. The mystery was light, as is normal in cozy mysteries. The police latch on to their main suspect, Maxwell, and Florrie goes around talking to people to find the real killer.

I read this book based on the cover. True story. Fortunately, I also really enjoyed it. A cozy mystery with humor and a little romance. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Pen & Ink Series:

Color Me Murder
The Coloring Crook
Murder Outside the Lines
A Colorful Scheme

Pawprints & Predicaments by Bethany Blake [Book Review]

Posted on April 2, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Pawprints & Predicaments

Author: Bethany Blake

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: February 27, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

The Tail Waggin’ Winterfest is the highlight of the season in the famously pet-friendly Pocono Mountains town of Sylvan Creek. But despite attractions like an ice sculpture display, a dogsled race, and gourmet hot chocolate, Daphne Templeton finds herself annoyed by TV producer Lauren Savidge, who’s filming the festivities. She’s critical, controlling, and as chilly as the January air. Daphne would like to tell her to go jump in a lake—and as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what they’re both going to do . . .

It’s the first-ever polar bear plunge in Lake Wallapawakee, and Daphne and Lauren are among the eighty or so people who charge into the frigid water to raise funds for animals in need. Daphne makes it back to shore—with the help of a mysterious St. Bernard—but Lauren is dragged out stone cold dead. Now, with her trusty basset hound Socrates at her side, Daphne intends to assist Detective Jonathan Black in his investigation—whether he wants her to or not…

MY REVIEW

Daphne, and other locals in Sylvan Creek, are not too happy with Lauren, a TV producer. Lauren is working on a show that features the pet-friendly town, but she is harsh and controlling. At the Winterfest’s first-ever polar bear plunge, Lauren is killed. Amateur sleuth Daphne sets out to find who killed Lauren.

Pawprints & Predicaments is the third book in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series. I have not read the previous two books, but I enjoyed this book and will keep an eye out for others by Bethany Blake.

A cozy mystery for dog lovers. The mystery part was good and kept me interested. The characters and setting were delightful. Sylvan Creek is very pet-friendly, especially to dogs. Most characters have a dog in this everyone knows everyone, and their dog, town. As a nice bonus, recipes for pet treats are included in the back of the book.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery Series:

Death by Chocolate Lab
Dial Meow for Murder
Pawprints & Predicaments
A Midwinter’s Tail
Something Borrowed, Something Mewed
Of Mutts and Murder

Lost Books and Old Bones by Paige Shelton [Book Review]

Posted on March 27, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Lost Books and Old Bones

Author: Paige Shelton

Publisher: Minotaur

Publish Date: April 3, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #3

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, Lost Books and Old Bones is a delightful new mystery by Paige Shelton, featuring bookseller and amateur sleuth Delaney Nichols.

Delaney Nichols, originally of Kansas but settling happily into her new life as a bookseller in Edinburgh, works at the Cracked Spine in the heart of town. The shop is a place filled with curiosities and surprises tucked into every shelf, and it’s Delaney’s job to research the rare tomes and obscure artifacts that people come to buy and sell. When her new friends, also students at the medical school, come to the shop to sell a collection of antique medical books, Delaney knows she’s stumbled across a rare and important find indeed. Her boss, Edwin MacAlister, agrees to buy the multivolume set, perhaps even to keep for his own collection.

But not long after the sale, one of Delaney’s new friends is found murdered in the alley behind the Cracked Spine, and she wonders if there is some nefarious connection between the origin of these books and the people whose hands they fell into. Delaney takes it upon herself to help bring the murderer to justice. During her investigation, Delaney she finds some old scalpels in the bookshop’s warehouse—she and discovers that they belonged to a long-dead doctor whose story and ties to the past crimes of Burke and Hare might be connected to the present-day murder. It’s all Delaney can do to race to solve this crime before time runs out and she ends up in a victim on the slab herself.

MY REVIEW

Delaney moved to Scotland from the US to work for a bookseller. She has been in Scotland for about a year, and has recently been friendly with a couple of the local medical students. One night, Delaney goes out with the medical students and meets some of their friends. The next morning, one of the women Delaney had met the night before is found murdered just outside the bookshop. Delaney is curious as to why the woman was outside the bookshop, and suspects it may have something to do with the bookshop’s “secret” warehouse.

Lost Books and Old Bones is the third book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. This is the first book I have read in this series.

I love the setting. Delaney works for a bookshop in Scotland that specializes in rare books. Delaney was likable, though I wish I had read the first two books in the series to know more about her. Since reading Lost Bones and Old Books, I have checked with my local library and they have the first two books in the series. I’ll be picking them up soon to read them.

This cozy mystery was interesting and incorporated some history about the Burke and Hare murders that took place in Edinburgh 1828. Burke and Hare were two men who killed people and sold their corpses to a local doctor for dissection and study.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series:

The Cracked Spine
Of Books and Bagpipes
Lost Books and Old Bones
The Loch Ness Papers
The Stolen Letter
Deadly Editions
The Burning Pages
Fateful Words
The Poison Pen

Jamie Quinn Mystery Series by Barbara Venkataraman [Book Review]

Posted on March 21, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Series: Jamie Quinn Mystery
Book 1: Death by Didgeridoo
Book 2: The Case of the Killer Divorce
Book 3: Peril in the Park
Book 4: Engaged in Danger
Book 5: Jeopardy in July

Author: Barbara Venkataraman

Publisher: Independently published

Genre: Amateur Investigator

My Rating: 4/5

Jamie is an attorney that practices family law, but manages to occasionally find herself in the middle of a mystery. To help her solve the mysteries, she gets helps from an amusing cast of characters, primarily her best friend Grace and a private investigator, Duke.

BOOK 1

Death by Didgeridoo

Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, still reeling from the death of her mother, is pulled into a game of deception, jealousy, and vengeance when her cousin, Adam, is wrongfully accused of murder. It’s up to Jamie to find the real murderer before it’s too late. It doesn’t help that the victim is a former rock star with more enemies than friends, or that Adam confessed to a murder he didn’t commit.

Death by Didgeridoo by Barbara Venkataraman

MY REVIEW

The first book in the Jamie Quinn Mystery series.

Jamie’s cousin is accused of murder, and he needs her help. Jamie is an attorney, though not of criminal law, but she want to help her family. Her cousin has Asperger’s, and it’s inconceivable to her that he is capable of committing a violent crime. Jamie, along with the help of a few friends, searches for the real killer.

A humorous cozy mystery. The characters were relatable, and I enjoyed the interactions Jamie had with her best friend and the private investigator. This was a quick, fun read.

BOOK 2

The Case of the Killer Divorce

Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, has returned to her family law practice after a hiatus due to the death of her mother. It’s business as usual until a bitter divorce case turns into a murder investigation, and Jamie’s client becomes the prime suspect. When she can’t untangle truth from lies, Jamie enlists the help of Duke Broussard, her favorite private investigator, to try to clear her client’s name. And she’s hoping that, in his spare time, he can help her find her long-lost father.

The Case of the Killer Divorce by Barbara Venkataraman

MY REVIEW

The second book in the Jamie Quinn Mystery series.

Jamie has recently returned to her family law practice after a brief time away to deal with her mother’s death. One of Jamie’s current cases is a bitter divorce, that turns to murder. In her personal life, Jamie wants to learn more about her father.

The murder mystery was light, but with some twists. In addition to the mystery of whether Jamie’s client killed her soon-to-be ex, Jamie decided to search for her long-lost father. I was curious where this story would lead, but it was wrapped up too abruptly for me. As for romance, an old flame returned to Jamie’s life.

A fun and humorous cozy mystery. I have enjoyed the characters in this series: Jamie is smart, compassionate, and relatable; Jamie’s bestie, Grace, is no-nonsense, yet funny; and private investigator Duke is a lecherous drunkard, but likable. Jamie’s aunt and cousin weren’t as prominent in this book as the first, but it’s clear Jamie believes family is important.

BOOK 3

Peril in the Park

There’s big trouble in the park system. Someone is making life difficult for Jamie Quinn’s boyfriend, Kip Simons, the new director of Broward County parks. Was it the angry supervisor passed over for promotion? The disgruntled employee Kip recently fired? Or someone with a bigger ax to grind? If Jamie can’t figure it out soon, she may be looking for a new boyfriend because there’s a dead guy in the park and Kip has gone missing! With the help of her favorite P.I., Duke Broussard, Jamie must race the clock to find Kip before it’s too late.

Peril in the Park by Barbara Venkataraman

MY REVIEW

The third book in the Jamie Quinn Mystery series.

Jamie’s boyfriend, Kip, is having trouble at work. He is the new director of Broward County parks, and someone is trying to make his work life miserable. Between dealing with vandalism in the parks, disgruntled employees, and a land development deal, Kip’s hands are full. Along with wanting to help Kip with his work woes, Jamie also helps her father try to obtain his US citizenship.

This book focused more on Kip and mysteries related to his work. Jamie wanted to help her boyfriend, so she contacted her favorite private investigator, Duke, to figure out who was causing problems for Kip. I enjoyed this story. Kip was another great character, and as usual, Duke brought a lot of humor to the story.

As a side story, Jamie’s father was having trouble obtaining US citizenship. Jamie enlisted the help of her best friend Grace to discover what was the problem. Grace was once again level-headed and practical, but humorous.

BOOK 4

Engaged in Danger

Finally, life is good for reluctant family law attorney, Jamie Quinn–her father may get his visa soon, her boyfriend is the bomb, and her law practice is growing like crazy–but when she agrees to take on a high-profile divorce case, everything falls apart. What looked like an opportunity to work with her friend Grace and make some serious bucks has turned into a deadly game, one that could destroy their friendship and tear their town apart. Why couldn’t Jamie just leave well enough alone?

Engaged in Danger by Barbara Venkataraman

MY REVIEW

The fourth book in the Jamie Quinn Mystery series.

Jamie works a high-profile divorce case of a woman who wants to get away from her husband, a corrupt businessman. A few side stories are also going on in Jamie’s life, including helping her neighbors discover who owned the plane that crashed and killed their sister and brother-in-law.

A quick and fun cozy mystery. Jamie worked harder in this one than the others. She had a high profile case in this book, and it kicked her into higher gear for work. Plus, her boyfriend, Kip, left the country for work, and she was looking for ways to distract herself while he was away. Jamie and her best friend, Grace, had the opportunity to work together in this book. It was fun to see their work relationship, but they also had a big falling out over personal matters. Also reappearing were Duke, the unorthodox private investigator, and Nick, the slick politician.

BOOK 5

Jeopardy in July

Old people were dying at an alarming rate at La Vida Boca, a posh assisted living facility in Boca Raton, Florida. With its sterling reputation, dedicated staff, and top-notch medical care, none of the deaths are considered suspicious, but when members of the poker club start to die under strange circumstances, attorney Jamie Quinn finds herself once again embroiled in a mystery. With help from her new friend, Jessie Sandler, and her favorite P.I., Duke Broussard, Jamie uncovers a crime that took place forty years earlier. Can she stop the killer in time? Or is she in danger of becoming the next victim?

Jeopardy in July by Barbara Venkataraman

MY REVIEW

The fifth book in the Jamie Quinn Mystery series.

Jamie’s current divorce case takes her to an assisted living facility. After visiting the facility and getting to know some of the people, Jamie takes a job there to lead seminars. The job is fairly simple, Jamie will host seminars and help the seniors with their legal paperwork, but, of course, nothing is as easy as it appears. As Jamie spends time with the seniors, she gets involved in a mystery of suspicious deaths and art forgery.

This book brings back Jessie, a friend Jamie made in a previous book, but includes her bestie Grace and the odd, but lovable, Duke. I enjoy the recurring characters in this series. Jamie is fun, but her friends provide some real laugh out loud moments. Jamie’s family drama continues, but takes a backseat to the other action.

My favorite Grace/Jamie interaction in this book:
“I was wondering — do you want to check out a new brewery in Fort Lauderdale? They have games and food trucks.”
“But do they have beer?” I joked.
“They have kegs and kegs of the stuff — with flavors like coffee, and peanut butter and jelly.”
“Call me old-fashioned,” I said, “but I like beer-flavored beer. Do they have any of that?”

This made me laugh out loud because my husband and I enjoy visiting breweries and trying new beers, and we always make fun of the weird beers that breweries make nowadays. I’m with Jamie, I like beer-flavored beer.

This is a fun series. Jamie and her friends, family, and other assorted characters are entertaining and likable. Great reads for fans of cozy mysteries.

I was contacted by the author to review the Jamie Quinn books.

The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone [Book Review]

Posted on March 18, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss

Author: Max Wirestone

Publisher: Redhook

Publish Date: January 9, 2018

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Dahlia Moss Mysteries #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Veronica Mars meets the World of Warcraft in this mystery romp with a hilarious heroine.
Working for a games development company is my dream job. So, when a slightly sketchy lawyer offered me the opportunity, I had to take it! Who cares that the company has some quirks? No job is perfect. Some questionable, but probably totally normal issues:
· A mysterious whistle-blower is posting the industry’s dirty laundry on Reddit.
· An unidentified corpse is in the staff room.
· The game under development is for filthy casuals, and unwisely involves matching talking peppermints.
· My job, technically speaking, is “Industry Spy.”
It’s all just a typical day at the office. Right?
Dive into Dahlia Moss’s brilliant, bonkers mystery and enjoy pure, geeky fun!

MY REVIEW

Dahlia Moss is hired to be an industry spy. Her job is to work as a temp at a software game development company and acquire the information her client wants. Mainly, the client wants to know what is taking so long for a game to be developed and they want the code to see what the problem is. However, once Dahlia is at the company, a couple of other issues arise, namely a mystery whistleblower and a dead body in the store room.

The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss is the third book in the Dahlia Moss mystery series. This is the first book I have read in this series, and it was a quick and entertaining cozy mystery.

Silly and light. Many crazy escapades occur along the way to Dahlia solving the mystery, but that was the fun of this book. Good for fans of contemporary cozies with kooky characters.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Dahlia Moss Mysteries Series:

The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss
The Astonishing Mistakes of Dahlia Moss
The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss

Beignets and Broomsticks by J. R. Ripley [Book Review]

Posted on March 11, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Beignets and Broomsticks

Author: J. R. Ripley

Publisher: Severn House Publishers

Publish Date: March 1, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Maggie Miller Mysteries #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

During the traditional Halloween festivities, one of Maggie Miller’s customers comes to a sticky end in this entertaining cozy mystery.

It’s Halloween, and café owner Maggie Miller’s special pumpkin spice beignet promotion is proving popular. But the evening ends in disaster when Maggie discovers the body of one of her regular customers, strangled to death with an expensive cashmere scarf.

The late Nancy Alverson had tended to keep herself to herself – but what secrets was she hiding? And why had she been studying books on witchcraft?

Of one thing Maggie is certain, it was no witch who killed Nancy. But has someone taken advantage of the spookiest night of the year to commit a brutal murder…?

MY REVIEW

Maggie runs a beignet shop in a small town in Arizona. The local business owners open their doors on Halloween to give treats to the kids, and Maggie has one of those businesses. After closing up, she has some extra beignets, so she drops by a regular customers place to give them the treat. Unfortunately, Maggie stumbles across a murder scene. Her regular customer had been killed, and Maggie wants to know who did it and why.

The 3rd book in the Maggie Miller mystery series. This is the first book in the series that I have read. A quick and fun cozy mystery with small town atmosphere, quirky locals, and witchcraft.

The story is told from Maggie’s point of view. She is mostly likable, and there are plenty of small town antics involved in her story. She has a few friends and family in the story, but she also has a few people that aren’t exactly friendly. Since I haven’t read the others in the series, I’m not sure about Maggie’s background. It seems she is restarting after a divorce, and her beignet business is part of her new life.

Good for fans of cozy mysteries. I’m originally from Louisiana, so I was immediately drawn to beignets being in the title. To be honest, I was a little disappointed the story took place in Arizona, rather than Louisiana.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Maggie Miller Mysteries Series:

Buried in Beignets
Beignets, Brides and Bodies
Beignets and Broomsticks

Yesterday’s News by R. G. Belsky [Book Review]

Posted on March 10, 2018June 23, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Yesterday’s News

Author: R.G. Belsky

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: May 1, 2018

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Clare Carlson #1

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

A classic cold case reopened—along with Pandora’s box

When eleven-year-old Lucy Devlin disappeared on her way to school more than a decade ago, it became one of the most famous missing child cases in history. The story turned reporter Clare Carlson into a media superstar overnight. Clare broke exclusive after exclusive. She had unprecedented access to the Devlin family as she wrote about the heartbreaking search for their young daughter. She later won a Pulitzer Prize for her extraordinary coverage of the case.

Now Clare once again plunges back into this sensational story. With new evidence, new victims, and new suspects—too many suspects. Everyone from members of a motorcycle gang to a prominent politician running for a US Senate seat seem to have secrets they’re hiding about what really might have happened to Lucy Devlin. But Clare has her own secrets. And, in order to untangle the truth about Lucy Devlin, she must finally confront her own torturous past.

MY REVIEW

Clare is a journalist who made her career with a missing child story. She had incredible access to the family, and had exclusive after exclusive, and even won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the story. It has been 15 years since the child went missing, and the young girl was never found. Clare is now a news director for a TV station, and the girl’s mother has never stopped looking for her child. When the mother contacts Clare, saying she has new evidence in the case, she also says she will only talk to Clare. Clare jumps back into investigative journalism and searches for the truth behind the girl’s disappearance. During her search, she deals with a motorcycle gang, a popular politician, other cases of missing children, and many dark secrets.

The story is told from Clare’s point of view. The characters were all well developed, and the story was intriguing enough to make this a fast read.

Good for fans of crime fiction and plot twists. A complex mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I love twists in a story, but this book had too much going on for me. On the plus side, some twists were completely unexpected and I didn’t see them coming at all.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Clare Carlson series:

Yesterday’s News
Below the Fold
The Last Scoop
Beyond the Headlines
It’s News to Me
Broadcast Blues

The Echo Killing by Christi Daugherty [Book Review]

Posted on March 4, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Echo Killing

Author: Christi Daugherty

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publish Date: March 13, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Harper McClain #1

My Rating: 5/5

BOOK BLURB

When a murder echoing a fifteen-year-old cold case rocks the Southern town of Savannah, crime reporter Harper McClain risks everything to find the identity of this calculated killer in Christi Daugherty’s new novel The Echo Killing.

A city of antebellum architecture, picturesque parks, and cobblestone streets, Savannah moves at a graceful pace. But for Harper McClain, the timeless beauty and culture that distinguishes her home’s Southern heritage vanishes during the dark and dangerous nights. She wouldn’t have it any other way. Not even finding her mother brutally murdered in their home when she was twelve has made her love Savannah any less.

Her mother’s killer was never found, and that unsolved murder left Harper with an obsession that drove her to become one of the best crime reporters in the state of Georgia. She spends her nights with the police, searching for criminals. Her latest investigation takes her to the scene of a homicide where the details are hauntingly familiar: a young girl being led from the scene by a detective, a female victim naked and stabbed multiple times in the kitchen, and no traces of any evidence pointing towards a suspect.

Harper has seen all of this before in her own life. The similarities between the murder of Marie Whitney and her own mother’s death lead her to believe they’re both victims of the same killer. At last, she has the chance to find the murderer who’s eluded justice for fifteen years and make sure another little girl isn’t forever haunted by a senseless act of violence—even if it puts Harper in the killer’s cross-hairs…

MY REVIEW

Harper is a news reporter in Savannah, where she works nights following crime activity across the city to catch her next story. After responding to a call to a murder scene, Harper is on a story that is eerily similar to another murder that happened 15 years earlier… the murder of Harper’s mother, which was never solved. Harper sees the connection between the cases, but the police don’t want to hear about it. Investigating this current story brings back memories for Harper, many of which she has tried not to think about for years. As Harper works to uncover the truth behind these crimes, she jeopardizes current relationships in her personal and professional lives.

Dark story. Great characters. Picturesque setting. The mystery was complex and twisty, but not hard to figure out. The characters were well-developed, and I especially liked Harper. She was strong, smart, and a real go-getter. I love mysteries that take place in cities like Savannah, with such a rich history, the setting adds to the story.

A fast-paced crime mystery. The Echo Killing is the first book in the Harper McClain series. I’ll be keeping a look out for the next book in this new series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Harper McClain series:

The Echo Killing
A Beautiful Corpse
Revolver Road

Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons [Book Review]

Posted on February 6, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Murder on the Rocks

Author: Shawn Reilly Simmons

Publisher: Henery Press

Publish Date: February 6, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Red Carpet Catering Mysteries #5

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Shawn Reilly Simmons has cooked up something rocky this time, and it’s going to be a delicious read.

After surviving a brazen attack at one of her favorite local cafes, Penelope Sutherland is ready to escape the big city and head to her next film set. She and her Red Carpet Catering crew set up their kitchen on location in the tranquil mountains of Vermont.

MY REVIEW

Penelope and her friends are enjoying a nice brunch at a local cafe, when the restaurant is robbed. The women are okay physically, but very shaken after the attack. A series of events follows, and it seems someone is targeting Penelope’s friend Nadia, a tennis pro serving as consultant on the film Penelope is catering. With several strange events occurring, Penelope seeks to learn which events are connected and who is behind them.

Murder on the Rocks is the fifth book in the A Red Carpet Catering Mystery series, but the first one I have read. I enjoy cozy mysteries, and found this to be an entertaining, light read.

This book packed a lot of mystery. There were two main mysteries, who attacked the cafe and who was after Nadia. Plus, there were a couple of smaller mysteries, theft in the local police department and the filmmaker’s family feud. I thought it was a bit much, and could have done with a little less mystery.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Red Carpet Catering Mysteries Series:

Murder on the Red Carpet
Murder on Location
Murder on a Designer Diet
Murder is the Main Course
Murder on the Rocks
Murder With All The Trimmings
Murder On The Chopping Block

Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler [Book Review]

Posted on January 27, 2018January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Better Dead

Author: Pamela Kopfler

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: December 26, 2017

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: A B&B Spirits Mystery #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

As the owner of a charming Louisiana bed and breakfast, Holly Davis believes in Southern hospitality—but she draws the line at welcoming the ghost of her cheating husband…

Burl Davis checked out of this life a little earlier than expected—before Holly could serve him with divorce papers over his extramarital flings. Unfortunately, it was not before he nearly bankrupted her beloved B&B, Holly Grove, a converted plantation that has been in her family for generations. Holly would never wish anyone dead, but three months later she’s feeling a lot more relief than grief.

Until Burl’s ghost appears as an unwelcome guest. Before his spirit can move on, her not-so-dearly departed needs Holly’s human help to bust up the drug smuggling ring he was involved with. She has reservations, to say the least, but agrees to assist him if he’ll make a show of haunting the B&B to draw in visitors. But when Holly’s former love, Jack McCann, mysteriously resurfaces in town and checks in, she has to wonder if her B&B is big enough for the ghost of her husband and the very real physical presence of her old flame . . .

MY REVIEW

Holly’s husband, Burl, has up and died. Holly is not exactly sad to see Burl go, after all, he was cheating on her and nearly bankrupted her B&B business. Just when she’s ready to move on and get her life back together, Burl shows up. Now he is a ghost, and needs Holly’s help so his spirit can move on. Turns out, Burl was involved in a drug smuggling ring, and he wants Holly’s help to break it up. To complicate matters, Holly’s old high school flame is back in town, and staying at her B&B.

A paranormal cozy mystery. Better Dead is the first in the B&B Spirits Mystery series. A fun and entertaining read. The characters were well-developed, with Holly being smart, determined, sarcastic, and likable. I’m originally from Louisiana, and a fan of cozy mysteries, so this was right up my alley. Looking forward to more of this series.

Mystery. ✓
Romance. ✓
Humor. ✓
Ghosts. ✓
Small town charm. ✓
Dog named Rhett. ✓
Mint julep recipe. ✓

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the B&B Spirits Mystery Series:

Better Dead
Downright Dead
Hog Wild Dead

The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett [Book Review]

Posted on December 16, 2017January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Liar in the Library

Author: Simon Brett

Publisher: Crème de la Crime

Publish Date: January 1, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Fethering Mystery #18

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Fethering has everything a sleepy coastal town should: snug English pubs, cosy cottages, a little local library – and the occasional murder . . .

Bestselling author Burton St Clair, complete with soaring ego and wandering hands, has come to town to give a talk. But after his corpse is found slumped in his car, he won’t be leaving. Jude is the prime suspect; she was, after all, the last person to see Burton St Clair alive. If she is to prove her innocence, she will have to dust off her detective skills and recruit her prim and proper neighbour (and partner-in-sleuthing) Carole to find the real culprit.

MY REVIEW

A suspicious death occurs after an author talk at the local library. Jude becomes a prime suspect, and must solve the case to clear her name.

The Liar in the Library was a bit of a tribute to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. The classic whodunit solved by amateur sleuths. Lots of references to the formula of a classic detective story.

Jude and her neighbor, Carole, are amateur sleuths in the small, fictional English village of Fethering. The Liar in the Library is the 18th book in the series, but the first one I have read. It was okay as a standalone read, but I think I may have understood the recurring characters more if I had read some of the previous books.

I enjoyed the mystery part of the story, but it was light on character development. I wasn’t a fan of the main characters, and didn’t see any chemistry to keep me reading the series.

A light read. Good for fans of cozy mysteries, especially those set in England and/or with middle-aged protagonists.

Books in the Fethering Mystery Series:

The Body on the Beach
Death on the Downs
The Torso in the Town
Murder in the Museum
The Hanging in the Hotel
The Witness at the Wedding
The Stabbing in the Stables
Death Under the Dryer
Blood at the Bookies
The Poisoning in the Pub
The Shooting in the Shop
Bones Under the Beach Hut
Guns in the Gallery
The Corpse on the Court
The Strangling on the Stage
The Tomb in Turkey
The Killing in the Cafe
The Liar in the Library
The Killer in the Choir
Guilt at the Garage
Death and the Decorator

Full Bodied Murder by Christine E. Blum [Book Review]

Posted on October 29, 2017January 14, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Full Bodied Murder

Author: Christine E. Blum

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: November 28, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

As the newest member of the Rose Avenue Wine Club, Halsey wants to expand her palate—not solve murders. But when a neighbor is found dead, it’s up to her to pair the culprit with a deadly crime…

Leaving behind a failed marriage, New Yorker Annie “Halsey” Hall is ready to begin the next phase of her life in coastal Southern California. From the moment she arrives at her new digs on cozy Rose Avenue, she looks forward to joining the neighborhood ladies for their weekly Wine Club gathering. With only a rambunctious yellow lab puppy to keep her company, Halsey could really use a confidant—and a glass or two of her favorite white wine . . .

Unfortunately, she finds nothing but red at the Wine Club meeting—and judging by the dead woman lying face down in the backyard, it’s not spilled merlot. Halsey accidentally stumbled into the wrong address at the wrong time, and with suspicions about her past on the rise, she must prove that she isn’t a killer. Enlisting the eclectic talents of the Wine Club ladies, Halsey searches for the true criminal at large. But separating friends from foes isn’t easy on Rose Avenue, and as she racks up a suspect list, Halsey can’t shake the feeling that someone in her inner circle has a taste for murder . . .

MY REVIEW

Halsey moves to Southern California from New York City. Her new neighborhood takes some getting used to, but some friendly neighbors invite her to join their Rose Avenue Wine Club. Halsey enjoys wine and wants to meet her new neighbors, so she happily accepts the invitation. Unfortunately, Halsey goes to the wrong house for her first wine club meeting… and stumbles upon a dead body. The police see Halsey as a suspect, so she and the other wine club members take on a little sleuthing to prove her innocence. It turns out, there are quite a few suspects on Rose Avenue.

I always enjoy a cozy mystery, and I like to read with while enjoying a glass of wine, so this book seemed right up my alley. This was a solid mystery, though there did seem to be a lot of other things going on with the neighbors. Mostly likable characters, but not enough character development to truly care about anyone. The dog, Bardot, was pretty great though. I saw that this is set to be a series, and it was a good introduction to the characters.

I thought the list of wines in the back of the book was a nice touch. Also, the glossary for wine-related lingo could be helpful for non-wine drinkers.

Full Bodied Murder was a light read and good for fans of cozy mysteries.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery Series:

Full Bodied Murder
Murder Most Fermented
The Name of the Rosé
Clarets of Fire