Category: Amateurs Sleuths

Book Review

Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler

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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

Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler

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 . . .

Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler

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:
  1. Better Dead
  2. Downright Dead
  3. Hog Wild Dead
Book Review

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

Posted on by Darinda
The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett

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

The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett

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.

The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett

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:
  1. The Body on the Beach
  2. Death on the Downs
  3. The Torso in the Town
  4. Murder in the Museum
  5. The Hanging in the Hotel
  6. The Witness at the Wedding
  7. The Stabbing in the Stables
  8. Death Under the Dryer
  9. Blood at the Bookies
  10. The Poisoning in the Pub
  11. The Shooting in the Shop
  12. Bones Under the Beach Hut
  13. Guns in the Gallery
  14. The Corpse on the Court
  15. The Strangling on the Stage
  16. The Tomb in Turkey
  17. The Killing in the Cafe
  18. The Liar in the Library
  19. The Killer in the Choir
  20. Guilt at the Garage
  21. Death and the Decorator
Book Review

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

Posted on by Darinda
Full Bodied Murder by Christine E. Blum

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

Full Bodied Murder by Christine E. Blum

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 . . .

Full Bodied Murder by Christine E. Blum

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:
  1. Full Bodied Murder
  2. Murder Most Fermented
  3. The Name of the Rosé
  4. Clarets of Fire
Book Review

For Better or Worse by Donna Huston Murray [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
For Better or Worse by Donna Huston Murray

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

BOOK INFO

Title: For Better or Worse

Author: Donna Huston Murray

Publisher: Donna Huston Murray

Publish Date: January 10, 2018

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: A Ginger Barnes Mystery #8

My Rating: 4/5

For Better or Worse by Donna Huston Murray

BOOK BLURB

FINALLY back to her spunky self after the loss of her husband, men have once again become an issue for amateur sleuth Ginger Barnes–men who mistreat their wives, men suspected of murder, and men who ask her out.
WHILE WORKING on a DIY project at her newlywed daughter’s house, a bag of bricks is thrown from the neighbor’s third-story window. Next, pops that sound like muffled gunshots have Gin racing for her phone. Eric, who lives in the house with his grandmother, claims she’s obsessed with mystery novels. Yet after the septuagenarian falls down a flight of stairs, she’s so frantic to keep Eric away that Gin must intervene. Was the fall actually attempted murder?
IN HER HUSBAND’S eyes, Cissie Voight can’t do anything right. Gin occasionally helps the frazzled young mother, and when she needs a dresser carried upstairs, Gin brings Eric along. Bad move! The electricity between the two new acquaintances sparks a chilling premonition. This time Gin’s good intentions will produce grave consequences–for everyone involved.

For Better or Worse by Donna Huston Murray

MY REVIEW

For Better or Worse is the latest book in the Ginger Barnes Mystery series. Ginger is working on a DIY project at her daughter’s house when she gets involved with some of the neighbors. One is a frazzled young mother with a controlling husband. The other is a young man who is helping to care for his grandmother, who ends up in the hospital after a fall down some stairs. Meanwhile, after Ginger’s best friend tries to set her up with a new fella, Ginger finds herself working as a babysitter for the man’s grandson… though Ginger suspects something is off with the parents. With all these new people in her life, Ginger tows the line between being nosy and keeping her mouth shut versus stepping in when something is really going on.

Ginger is a widow with a recently married daughter and a son in college. She enjoys walking her dog and working on DIY projects… and occasional sleuthing. Ginger seems to question most everyone and everything she encounters. This was a well-written character that seemed real, with real life worries and concerns.

This was a quick, lighthearted book. Great for fans of cozy mysteries. Though the story is written in an easy reading and lighthearted way, some difficult topics are discussed, namely domestic abuse.

For Better or Worse was the first book I’ve read in this series. It was a good read, and I look forward to reading more about Ginger Barnes and her amateur sleuthing.

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

Books in the Ginger Barnes Mystery series:
  1. The Main Line is Murder
  2. Final Arrangements
  3. School of Hard Knocks
  4. No Bones About It
  5. A Score to Settle
  6. Farewell Performance
  7. Lie Like a Rug
  8. For Better or Worse
Book Review

The Child by Fiona Barton [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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 Child

Author: Fiona Barton

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: June 27, 2017

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Kate Waters #2

My Rating: 4/5

The Child by Fiona Barton

BOOK BLURB

As an old house is demolished in a gentrifying section of London, a workman discovers human remains, buried for years. For journalist Kate Waters, it’s a story that deserves attention. She cobbles together a piece for her newspaper, but at a loss for answers, she can only pose a question: Who has been found at the building site?

As Kate investigates, she unearths connections to a crime that rocked the city decades earlier: A child was stolen from the maternity ward in a local hospital and was never found. Her heartbroken parents were left devastated by the loss.

But there is more to the story, and Kate is drawn—house by house—into the pasts of the people who once lived in this neighborhood that has given up its greatest mystery. And she soon finds herself the keeper of unexpected secrets that erupt in the lives of three women—and torn between what she can and cannot tell…

The Child by Fiona Barton

MY REVIEW

The remains of a child are found during the demolition of an old house. As a journalist reports on the story, she discovers connections to a crime that happened decades earlier.

The Child is told from several parallel points of view. The journalist, Kate, plays a major role, but she is the one trying to piece the mystery together. Three women, Emma, Jude, and Angela, are the other main characters. As Kate slowly connects the pieces together, she encounters the other’s secrets from their pasts. She is left to deal with what to share and what to keep secret. I enjoyed the parallel storyline and was curious as to how Kate would handle new information as it developed.

The Widow by Fiona Barton has the same journalist and detective as The Child, but they are both standalone novels. I enjoyed The Widow, so I was looking forward to reading the The Child. This was also an enjoyable read, but I figured out the mystery really early in the book. The plot has lots of twists and turns, so I’m not sure why I felt the ending was so obvious. That said, it’s a very well-written novel, and I definitely recommend it to fans of thrillers.

Books in the Kate Waters series:
  1. The Widow
  2. The Child
  3. The Suspect