For Duck's Sake: A Meg Langslow Mystery by Donna Andrews

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairings found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing.

 

 

For Duck’s Sake
A Meg Langslow Mystery #37
Donna Andrews
Minotaur Books 

What started out as a future duck pond has become ground zero for a cold case that the police didn’t even know they had. As if that wasn’t quackers enough, Meg and CJCJ’s home has gone to the dogs, literally. What started out as a good deed has become a great endeavor, the Mutt March. I cannot even begin to comprehend what this would look like in the real, nonfictional world. The manpower alone is staggering. This event takes a village or rather the cozy town of Caerphilly, Virginia. No fear, the Hollingsworth family, namely Meg’s mom, is here, to organize and keep the plates spinning so that Meg can search for clues.

 

As always, Meg relies on her impressive logic, her wit, and her notebook that “tells her when to breathe”, to keep track of clues and suspects. Her network of family and friends coupled with her impressive research skills prove to be as helpful as always to Police Chief Burke, who seems to be more accepting of the help with each new mystery.

 

This is a standalone mystery, so you won’t feel lost when you read. Meg has some great and even humorous methods for helping the reader to identify strangers. Her nicknaming method is used in multiple books, and it makes me laugh out loud every time. The skeleton identification procedures are very interesting as is the history about fallout shelters. With all that is going on, you can’t help but to be engrossed in the story, turning page after page until the big reveal. There was one big whale-of-a-red herring and also some smaller ones. The combination of the dead body, the bomb shelter, possible dog nappers, and a missing octogenarian made this a true test for Meg’s skills. I would give this a five out of five ducks, but they would need to be Cayugas.

 

Death at an Irish Village: An Irish Castle Mystery by Ellie Brannigan

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and/or NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any recipe review and food pairings found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing. 

Death at an Irish Village
An Irish Castle Mystery
Ellie Brannigan
Crooked Lane Books

This is the third book in the Irish Castle Mystery series, and it does a great job of furthering the overall story arc as Irish revolutionary history overlaps with Rayne and Ciara’s family history at a forgotten grave site in the overgrown cemetery. Perfect place for a body drop, right? 

As a reader you don’t have to know the history of the series because there is plenty of backstory. Rayne McGrath, couture wedding dress maker to the likes of the rich and Rodeo Drive famous, and her salt of the earth Irish cousin Ciara Smith have one year to bring the finances of McGrath Castle and the surrounding lands into the black or sell. Wills can be tricky things, it seems as though Nevin McGrath’s written will was to unite his illegitimate daughter Ciara and her brash American cousin Rayne, into a partnership to save them all following his demise (see the series starter, Murder at an Irish Castle).  A pink Hermes bag, one of Rayne’s treasured items, may need to be sacrificed for the sake of the estate if the wedding venue venture does not get off the ground in conjunction with an increase in next year’s lambing.  

There are so many struggles between renovating the village to bring it into this century while not losing the cozy historic village look. I was intrigued by the way Rayne and Ciara were brainstorming to come up with a list of potential jobs to be filled by a slightly younger group of people. You can’t help but to feel empathy for the cousins as they seem to take two steps forward and one and a half steps back, but at least they are in lockstep. Well except for when it comes to romance. The cousin’s romantic lives are see-sawing. While one cousin seems to be going up with butterflies in her stomach, the other cousin is going down with a feeling of dread. Oh and then there is Landon, the crazy ex business partner/boyfriend. The last thing needed is a dead body in the newly cleared cemetery, that wasn’t there before the clearing. With a wedding scheduled, Rayne knows that she needs to do what she can to help Garda Williams get to the bottom of this unfortunate and reputation-ruining mystery. 

The plot of this story has sprinkles of Irish history, cozy town characters (many of which are over 60 and fit as proverbial fiddles), a loyal castle staff that is more like family than anything else, a handsome Viking, and more than enough suspects. With all these suspects, it is easy to be taken in by the red herrings. I knew who the killer wasn’t, but I did not figure out who was responsible. I cannot wait to see what will happen next in this highly entertaining cozy series.

Scone Cold Dead: A Country Store Mystery by Maddie Day

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and/or NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairings found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing.

Scone Cold Dead
A Country Store Mystery
Maddie Day

Book 13 of the Country Store Mysteries comes with many changes looming on the horizon for more than one of the residents of South Lick, Indiana. If this is your first time picking up a Maddie Day cozy mystery you are in for a treat with both the mystery and the sweet and savory recipes found at the conclusion of the story.  Don't worry if you "met" Robbie Jordan before now, she is easy to like and makes some great meals in her Pans and Pancakes, breakfast and lunch country store. Each book can be read as a stand-alone mystery with plenty of descriptions and back story to keep the reader from getting lost amidst the characters or clues. 

Robbie is usually elbow deep in pancake prep or up to her neck in a murder mystery, but things have changed in the last eight or so months. In the previous book, Deep Friend Death, Robbie learned that she and her husband, Abe were going to be parents, and it changed Robbie's perspective on sleuthing. She became much more careful, thinking of her welfare or rather her baby's welfare, not that she has ever been one of those folks who are "too dumb to live." This time around we continue to see this same cautious attitude. Robbie steers away from the dark alleys but not from asking the hard and sometimes intrusive questions or brainstorming scenarios with local law enforcement. 

Speaking of local law enforcement, Chief Buck Bird, has quite a way with words. This time around, I think that my favorite Buck saying was "you musta been scareder than a sinner in a cyclone." It is the characters who really add the flavor to this series. There is a unique blend of people of different ages such as Robbie's aunt Adele, who finds a dead body of a man she once knew, in the goat pasture. There are young people too, like Robbie's coworkers, Danna Beedle and Turner Rao. Danna, Mayor Corrine's daughter, has red dreadlocks and a flair for colorful clothes. Turner literally adds Southeast Asian flavor to the dishes he cooks. Even the "guest stars" bring interesting aspects to the stories. This time around, a man comes to town, a man who, to Buck, looks like he has been in the criminal justice system. And not on the side of the law."  A man who is asking for Adele, who seems to be known by several of the regulars, someone who incites strong emotions. Obviously, this man is going to be the victim and there are plenty of good suspects and some not so good. Adele is not a good suspect but because she has history with Ivan, and he was found in her pasture, Robbie will need to start asking questions. 

Robbie asks great questions, the kind of questions that kept me turning pages to find out what the answers were going to be. The clues are so well placed and the herrings so red that I was completely caught off guard by the solution. I was coming up with scenarios like Robbie that sometimes seemed a little more over the top than the one before it. My attention was held all the way to the end and then I got to enjoy some delicious Pecan Scones which I have pictured below. I also made the fajitas, because who doesn't like fajitas. I am looking forward to trying the Apple Cider Muffins, and just maybe, all of these great recipes will help to hold me over until the next Country Store Mystery.

A Murder Most Fowl : A Food Truck Mystery by Carmela Dutra

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and/or NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairings found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing. 

A Murder Most Fowl
A Food Truck Mystery Series Starter
Carmela Dutra
Crooked Lane

What a great start to a new cozy series.  Carmela Dutra should be strutting like rooster after writing such a clever cozy mystery based on a family food truck business. I was instantly hooked because I love a good culinary cozy with a slightly snarky, slightly silly sleuth. Beth (Bethany) Lloyd starts out this adventure by getting arrested, in a chicken costume, for assaulting another food truck owner's truck. I know that I am going to like her right away because she introduces herself to the reader and states that nothing she does is subtle. The snark shows up right away as illustrated by her nickname for the arresting officer, Officer Pretty Boy. Yep, that comes back to peck her in the face when it turns out that he is really Detective "Pretty Boy" Kane. 

Beth isn't alone in this adventure though, she has her BFF (best female friend) Rylie Cortes, and her womb-mate/twin brother and lawyer-to-be, Seth. And what an adventure it is going to be since their food truck, Kluckin' Good, has been selected for the reality food show/contest The Food Truck Showdown and a chance to win $50,000 not to mention the fantastic publicity just from being a part of the show. Unfortunately, a local rival and nemesis, Benji Mayhews, owner of The Dog House food truck is a contestant as well. So, of course, Benji is a victim, and Beth is a suspect who is questioned not once but twice by Detective Pretty Boy. Their playful banter is highly entertaining, and almost as good as the twins back and forth about who is older. 

The easygoing light-heartedness is perfect to counterbalance the over-the-top reality TV drama and keeps the reader entertained and interested. The contestants, all unique, and all offering some great food, are all suspects, even though they have received threatening serial killer like magazine cutout messages.  What cozy sleuth can ignore a food related threatening message created out of magazine bits? Beth and Rylie are true crime fans, so of course Beth intends to use all her knowledge to get to the bottom of the strange goings on.  There are plenty of clues to be followed and scenarios to be sorted out. Interestingly enough, Detective Kane is happy to listen to Beth’s theories and does his best to warn her to stay out of his investigation. I am looking forward to seeing how that relationship progresses as the series continues.

I found this story to be as appetizing and as original as the menu items and daily specials that are described in great detail. Speaking of food, there are two recipes, The Kluckin' Greek wings and Mac and Cheese Poppers included at the conclusion of the story that I cannot wait to make and enjoy.  

Deception's Edge : A Blade Broussard Thriller by Nannette Potter

Thank you to the author, Nannette Potter, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairings found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing.  

Deception’s Edge
A Blade Broussard Thriller
Nannette Potter

WOW, this thriller grabs your attention and doesn’t let it go even at the end. This is book two of the Blade Broussard series and while I have not read the series starter (yet) I was not confused or lost in the least. Ms. Potter does an excellent job of building the plot, the characters, and the tension while incorporating bits of faith. I really appreciated that while it was definitely a gun shooting, knife throwing, bomb blasting thriller it is pretty much clean in fact if it was a mystery it would be an edgy cozy. 

The story is made up of three points of view that converge near the end. Blade is looking for the man she considers responsible for the death of her birth mother. Chase, the American Soldati di Cristo, is being held and tortured in a North Korean labor camp when a rescue mission goes very wrong. Lastly, there is Alec, an enigmatic man, who is the very man whom Blade is on the hunt to find. All three characters are diverse and strong-willed, with differing backgrounds, but their fates seem to be tied together as if by an unseen crimson silk rope.

Our protagonist, Genevieve, who goes by the stage name Blade, is a strong woman, who must have been a strong girl growing up. How often do we read about a professional impalement artist? Kudos to Ms. Potter for such an original day job. Blade does not suffer fools nor does she fool herself into believing that she is invincible. She is hard like the metal she wields but she is also warm, fiercely loyal to those she considers family, and she refuses to give up or give in no matter what the personal cost. 

The additional players, Chase, Alec, Finn, Father McCann, Joe, Thomas, Luc, and Xiu all have such different and well developed personalities that you are drawn even further into the plot line. I am not going to lie when I say that I did not put this book down and in fact, I read it in a single day. 

This book builds upon what was started with the first novel without giving too much away. I can only guess as to how much of a cliffhanger Pierce the Darkness must have been because I am currently holding on to a virtual cliff after finishing Deception’s Edge. I found this to be a highly enjoyable read and am on the hunt for the series starter to hopefully hold me over until book three makes its appearance.

Picking Up The Pieces : A Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery by J.B. Abbott

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and/or NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairings found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing.

Picking Up the Pieces
A Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery
J.B. Abbott

This appropriately titled series starter had me hooked after the first chapter. Katie Chambers, our easy to like amateur sleuth, is working with literal and figurative puzzle pieces and not all of them have to do with the mystery. Fortunately, she has a great group of friends who are willing and ready to help her. I am a fan of this kind of cozy which incorporates a cast of variously aged characters who are the support system to assist the sleuth. Katie returns home after six years from Denver, Colorado to cozy Cedar Bay, Washington where not only does everyone know your name, but they also know your business too. I instantly took a liking to Katie, after all, she left a career to move back home after her mom died, so she can be close to her dad. This backstory instantly humanizes her, plus I would do the same thing in a heartbeat for my Dad. Speaking of dads, I found it refreshing that Katie’s dad is the head librarian, that is a new one for me as most librarians in books are women. As with most cozies, the librarians are fonts of knowledge. Katie’s dad could be quite helpful in the future stories. In this first story though, Jim is not helpful…at…all. With the police thinking they got their guy and Jim’s refusal to tell Katie anything helpful, it is up to Katie and the puzzle crew to solve their toughest puzzle yet.

A puzzle critiquing group originally started by Katie’s mom, the South Island Jigsaw Crew is back in business thanks to Katie. Not only are they passionate about puzzles but they are also extremely helpful when it comes to evaluating the next potential puzzle for the Cedar Bay Puzzle Company, where Katie works as the VP of product design and development. Actually, it was the same company and position that her mom worked for prior to her health problems and death. The ages of the members are from “almost 80” to 17, and each personality is just as different as the ages. A great group of people to help Katie solve the crime that claimed one of their own and to get her dad out of the hoosegow. Hannah, Todd, Kevin, and Mildred are such good friends to Katie that I didn’t even realize that she doesn’t have a bff like most cozy protagonists.

The plot is well planned with a variety of motives and misdirects. The story does a great job of eliciting emotional responses and I actually felt insulted on Katie’s behalf from the treatment she and her dad received from Lieutenant Crozier. Then there is the frustration when Katie’s dad refused to cooperate or share anything with Katie, or the bomb he dropped about her ex-boyfriend Connor. Lastly, I am hopeful for the continuation of this series and the development of the overall story arc as Katie continues to fill in the puzzle pieces of her life.

Shot Through the Tart - The Laughing Loaf Bakery Mysteries by Victoria Kazarian

Thank you to the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairing found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing.

Shot Through the Tart
A Laughing Loaf Mysteries
Victoria Kazarian

Having read the series starter prior to reading book number 7 I am familiar with Gracie’s unique situation. Not to worry, this is a stand-alone cozy with a sprinkling of thriller so you will not feel lost. The Laughing Loaf bakery owner, Gracie Markley and her dad are in the WITSEC program and have only been in River Grove for about two years. The bakery has done so well that it is getting a little overhaul. To keep the patrons happy and the bills paid, Gracie has set up a “pop up” on the green until the final touches are complete. Since the Laughing Loaf will be a bigger place with more tasty offerings, that means more employees. This leads Gracie to once again become embroiled in a mystery. Well, that and her lousy ex-husband and his business partner telling certain foreign dissidents that she has the system codes they paid a whole lot of money to acquire.     

Opening day is crazy and it only gets crazier when the new employee who was fired for snooping in Gracie’s office is found dead. Topping the crazy is threats from members of SABRE who want what they paid ex-husband Ben for, and they are under the impression that Gracie has it. Is it a coincidence or was someone out to get Barb? I am not sure how Gracie keeps it together regardless of the number of agents who are watching her every move, the local operative who keeps an eye on her, or Chief Westerman who is working out of his car while parked outside of the bakery. This story draws you in like the scent of the fresh baked cinnamon rolls that Gracie makes every morning. With the new enhancements, the bakery is doing gangbusters, but Gracie is still able to make time to sneak out and search for clues. Actually, Gracie has an amazing staff to cover for her while she tries to keep away from the Satrovanians who are threatening her life.    

This cozy checks all the boxes. The story was entertaining, there is an adorable little pooch named Biga, there is an attentive boyfriend, and a supportive group of friends and family. For a little added flavor there is also the federal agent involvement and thriller undertones. Not only do you get an enjoyable mystery with amazing bakery items descriptions but also a great recipe for Beck’s Strawberry Shortbread Tarts made with créme anglaise. The directions were easy, and the cream and crust came out perfect. I will be going back to see what I missed in the previous books plus there will be more recipes to enjoy.