The Bush Tea Murder: A Caribbean Island Mystery by Ahley-Ruth M. Bernier

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley 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. 

The Bush Tea Murder
Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier 
A Caribbean Island Mystery

I was so entranced by this story and the way that author, Ashley-Ruth Bernier, included local dishes and fun facts, that I was looking up recipes for Johnny Cakes, pictures of Flamboyant trees, and prices for a cruise that would make port in St. Thomas so I could go buy some bush tea. This is not only an unusual storyline, but an expertly crafted tale that proves that a death in paradise can be so much more than just some sand, the sea, and a gimmick. Naomi Sinclair, originally from the island of St. Thomas has relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina and is the host of the TV show, A Word From the Kitchen. Naomi is living her dream, a job centered around culinary journalism.

What starts out as an opportunity to earn a spot hosting a new true crime food related show becomes an eye-opening experience and a chance for Naomi to shine a light on her home, St. Thomas, and all the things that make it more than just a cruise ship port of call. Naomi chooses an unsolved crime that involves a woman who had built up a business that started with bush tea and was about to be taken to the next level by a rich businessman from the states who wanted to bottle her amazing brews and stock them on shelves from coast to coast. A note to the reader, this is not a comfy cozy but more of an edgy cozy with situations that are very real life oriented, with both good and bad aspects, and good and bad people, and several mysterious suspects in between.

The premise for the new show is unsolved mysteries with a culinary theme, which I find to be a fresh and fascinating idea. In addition to the unique plot premise, the story is told, with a timeline that bounces between the present and sequential periods that span the previous year. Each period is a subplot which introduces a new character or two. The subplots are actually mini mysteries, which Naomi solves while keeping the overall themes in play such as a romance with the handsome EMT, daughterly concern for her parents' health and well-being, and navigating friendships from childhood. In addition to introducing characters in an organic way, each short story added another piece to the Ursula Merchant, locked room murder mystery and the story for Naomi’s pilot show pitch.

This series starter had everything a good mystery needs from captivating characters to amazing imagery and everything in between. The dialogue was well written, and the clues sprinkled just enough. The final reveal has everyone, from the network execs to myself, on the edge of our seats and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next Caribbean Island Mystery.

Mango Murders: A Key West Food Critic Mystery #15 by Lucy Burdette

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

Mango Murders
A Key West Food Critic Mystery #15
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books

This entertaining and tasty series is set in Key West, where tourists and locals alike go to watch the sunset at Mallory Square as a daily ritual. This time they get more of a show than expected. Book 16 of the Key West Food Critic Mystery series starts out with a BIG bang. While on a sunset cruise for the Key Zine magazine, food critic Hayley Snow gets more than excellent appetizers and mango cocktails. There is an explosion followed by a fire, followed by chaos and the discovery of a dead body. Which puts Hailey’s mom in a bad light because the explosion was caused by a propane tank that was found with her catering supplies. 

Hayley has a history of getting involved in police investigations. She doesn’t mean to aggravate the detective who is her husband, but she is able to get answers when he hits snags and unhelpful leads. While his heart is consumed with love and care for her safety, he really should be used to it by now. He needs to admit that Hayley gets results and answers that are most helpful. It might have something to do with her approachable and easy-going manner while Nathan is all business, police business. 

While the coconut telegraph aka local gossip, is busy transmitting the latest details, no one is sure what the motive is for the murder. It could be one of four things, love, loss, loathing, or loot. This time around, Hayley has back-up in the form of her MILs (mothers-in-law), Helen, Nathan’s mom and Allison, her stepmom. These ladies are like yin and yang, and together with Hauley, they are formidable. Hayley doesn’t seem to be on her “A” game this time around. She and Nathan have more friction than usual which gives this book a dash of reality. Another nod to the nonfiction world is the multi-day birthday extravaganza for Miss Gloria, Hayley’s houseboat neighbor and octogenarian friend who is turning 85. Just imagine the fun and possible stress of planning such an event and then top it off with overprotective offspring who think that it is time for Miss Gloria to leave Florida and get away from the madness of murder investigations that seems to follow Hayley. 

With more than a heck of a plot twist and an amazing set of recipes at the back of the book, this cozy mystery delivers all the way around. I cannot wait to see what happens next! I guess I will have to bide my time enjoying Mango Scones for breakfast, Mango Daiquiri for afternoon cocktails, Tuna Noodle Casserole for dinner, and Upside Down Mango Cake for dessert.

Irish Cozies for the Month of March 2026

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

Buried in Shamrocks
An Irish Bed and Breakfast Mystery #2
Lisa Q. Mathews
Crooked Lane Books

Welcome to the town of Shamrock, located in Massachusetts. This town is not only quaint and cozy, but also all things Irish. That`s right, this is a year-round Irish town, and every holiday has an Irish angle to it. This is the second book in the Irish Bed and Breakfast Mystery series, so grab a Guinness and relax while you sip and enjoy this stand-alone cozy. Our sleuth, Kathleen/Katie/Kate Margaret Buckley, is a single mom to Mauve and Elizabeth/Blizzy, a daughter of retired police Chief Dermont Buckley who goes by the nickname Chief, sister to Frank a member of the Shamrock PD, and “not girlfriend” to Garrett McGavin also a member of the Shamrock PD. It makes a lot of sense that Kate would have a propensity for justice and an almost uncontrollable urge to be a sleuth, even if it is to seek out the person responsible for killing her ex-husband’s new and somewhat snobby fiancé. 

Kate is a fun and relatable character who finds herself back home in Shamrock, to help at the family B&B for the summer season and possibly even longer. As with many cozies, the sleuth is also the first to find the body which can create a challenge, thankfully she isn’t a suspect or a person of interest, but her ex-husband, the father of her daughter Mauve, is on the top of the list. He isn’t alone, there is the angry artist Athena, next is Marty, one of the members of the Limerick Lads and a good friend of the Chief, plus Marty’s son Noel who was a good friend of Ian’s, even Kate’s old boss, Gabby, makes it on the suspect list. I had a few other people on my list, but the red herrings got me, and I did not figure this one out until Kate was putting the final pieces together. There are multiple secrets, some related to the mystery and some related to Kate’s family. I don’t want to give everything away, but rest assured, there is still a little bit of mystery involving Kate’s sister, Colleen. 

The story moves along at a good pace and it almost tired me out to read about all of the places that Kate goes to hunt down clues. From dropping off pies at the fair to dropping off cookies at the hospital. Not to mention all the work that is involved with helping Blizzy to get ready for the Little Miss Shamrock contest. I appreciated that nothing of significance involving the series starter mystery is given away so I can go back and read book one. 

Murder at an Irish Session

An Irish Village Mystery #12

Carlene O’Connor

Kensington Cozies

The sounds of love have come to the town of Kilbane, or at least the King of Matchmakers and his latest musical matches who have come together for a festival that featured trad sessions. A third-generation professional matchmaker, Liam Noone, has at the request and payment of one Detective Sergeant Siobhán O’Sullivan Flannery. Siobhan is like a mother hen as opposed to an older sister and just wants to see her siblings, the O’Sullivan Six to be paired, happily paired. She herself has a wonderful husband, Detective Sergeant Macdara Flannery, and they are five months away from meeting not one but two bundles of joy. One of my favorite aspects of this series is the way Macdara and Siobhán interact, with respect, love, and a very good bit of humor.

In case you are wondering what is involved in a trad session, it is a performance of traditional Irish music that is impromptu and often takes place in a pub or similar surroundings. Sounds like a grand time, right? Ah but it is also an opportunity for a little drama, a little blackmail, and a little murder in a rather cupid-like fashion paired with a musical accompaniment. It was easy to see how Liam got himself killed and with so many possible suspects it was not going to be an easy apprehension but then again, it never is.

To start the list off there is Grace Collins, harp player, personal assistant and Matchmaker super (maybe over the top) fangirl. Then there is Ron Gallagher, a double bass player and self-proclaimed protege who is ready to take possession of The Lucky Book full of Liam’s tips and tricks, notes and schemes. A small character with a big personality, the Wee Stringman, is an expert shot with a bow and took part in a dust up on the first day. In addition to all that, I am not entirely sure that the musical love birds aren’t playing musical chairs as there seems to have been some wheeling and dealing involved prior to the official matching. Liam’s dad and grandpa would be rolling over in their graves if they knew how Liam had truly monetized his “gift.” 

This is a mystery that had several unique and particular aspects that kept me turning the electronic pages of my Kindle. There is the glow in the dark lipstick that shined like a beacon, to the bow that was made into an arrow from a double bass. Like all of the books that came before, this is a stand-alone story, but you really are going to want to start at the beginning and get caught up before the wee ones arrive.

 

Solid Gold Murder: Golden Motel Mysteries #2 By Ellen Byron

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley 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.

Solid Gold Murder: The Golden Motel Mysteries #2
Ellen Byron
Kensington Cozies

There’s gold in them thar hills or at least near the Golden Motel. Dee and Jeff, co-owners of the historic Golden Motel are playing host to eager beaver, would be gold miners, who are panning in the river and taking peeks into the old, condemned mines. A tax accountant who would like to be retired and even a Silicon Valley tech millennial are hoping to cash in on gold rush 2.0.

This is the second book in the Golden Motel Mysteries series book, and it easily takes up where the series starter finished. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the starter because there is plenty of backstory AND the mystery isn’t shared so you can go back and enjoy A Very Woodsy Murder as well. The same unusual characters are back, and they are just as gosh darn entertaining. Whoops, I need to add a quarter to the “old timey word” jar. I especially like the tumultuous back and forth between Dee and Verity “Yes-that-Donner” Gillespie. Imagine sleeping in a tent on the edge of your property just to prove a point to be able to participate in a local vendor event.

As usual, the story has you snorting from Jeff and Dee’s sleuthing shenanigans, not to mention Dee’s sassy but sweet and fun attitude. There are multiple plots that weave in and out of each other to keep you guessing. The misdirection is masterful and I cannot wait to see what Ellen has for us next. While this might not be a culinary cozy, Ellen is kind enough to include a tasty treat recipe, Nutty Almond Date Bars is the bonus recipe included at the conclusion. These bars are both easy to make and consume. I wonder if this can be counted as part of my daily fruit intake.

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel by Jennifer J. Chow

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley 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.

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts 
A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel
Jennifer J. Chow
Minotaur Books

Be careful what you wish for because you just may get it. Felicity Jin grew up without her father; in fact, her mother never spoke of him so of course Felicity has had questions. With her newly awakened talent for infusing joy and prophecy into her fortune cookies she wonders if this unusual “gift,” could be from her father. Ah but that is only part of the mystery, and Felicity will need more than just her special skills, her ability to bake, her friend Kelvin, and her magic bunny to get to the bottom of the murder. 

On the plus side, this time there is no real reason for Felicity to get involved. She catered a wedding, she didn’t really know any of the people involved. But then an unexpected connection between Kelvin’s dad and the victim is discovered, and once again she is pulled into sleuthing. Thankfully she has a semi-working relationship with Detective Rylan Sun and while she is dangerously close to interfering with the investigation she also manages to help. There are plenty of suspects with plenty of secrets that Felicity is very good at ferreting out with the aid of cookies and sweet treats.

The subplot is well constructed and adds another layer of mystery that explains more of Felicity’s family history and gives an excellent backstory of the Jin family’s gift. The deep dive into the colorful A few of the story ends are tied off but not so many that this series is finished. In fact, things are just starting to heat up between Kelvin and Felicity, and I can’t wait to see what the dynamic duo solve next. In the meantime, I will make Auspicious Almond Cookies from the recipe found at the back of the book. Both this book and the series starter come complete with a baking recipe, a candle related craft, and floral craft as an extra cozy aspect to an enjoyable series.  

Murder at Cape Costumers: Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery by Maddie Day

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley 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.

Murder at Cape Costumers
Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery 
Maddie Day

Maddie Day once again gives us a cozy with real life situations that challenge the reader to redefine the term "cozy." Mac/Mackenzie Almeida, our sleuth is the owner of Mac's Bikes, wife to Tim of Greta’s Grains Bakery and a member of the Cozy Capers Book Group. Mac has a knack for getting involved in murder investigations and this time is no different and as always, she has the book club to help her collect clues and work together like a well-oiled machine. The victim, a recent transplant and former Broadway actor, is the unfortunate victim. Enzo was found the day after Halloween and still in his skeleton costume. Was it love’s cruel sting that did him in or maybe plain and simple greed.

Mac is going to need all the help she can get because this time around, the subplot includes a visit from Tim’s sister, Jamie who is a recovering alcoholic, and her two young children. The plot twist is that Jamie goes missing. Small spoiler alert, this is a hard topic to read about as alcohol addiction and recovery is not fiction and the emotions created by this story can be challenging. I found myself tearing up more often than chuckling. One might even go as far as to say that the murder is a good distraction for Mac and the reader. Mac does not like messy, she is a bit of an OCD personality so taking care of precocious five-year-old Ella, baby Luca, could be considered a challenge. Fortunately, Mack loves kids and would do anything to help Tim. Mac’s family is just as helpful as they do their part to pitch in and help with Ella and Luca when needed.

This mystery was well plotted and the clues kept me guessing and questioning my suppositions. I am always impressed by how meticulous the books group members are when it comes to doling out tasks and reporting back to the group text thread. I also found it entertaining that several of Mac's friends were involved in a pickleball league, with some competitive players who may or may not be suspects. The only thing that I felt sure of was the support and love that Mac’s friends and families show to each other and that regardless of how everything turned out, Belle the bird was still going to want snacks (LOL). Speaking of food, there are some great recipes at the end of the story including a recipe for Halloween Muffins that are healthy little pumpkin cakes that are perfect for breakfast or as a snack.  

A Brew For Chaos: Enchanted Bay Mysteries #3 by Esme Addison

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.

A Brew For Chaos
Enchanted Bay Mysteries #3
Esme Addison

Welcome to Bellamy Bay, North Carolina where they are preparing for Octoberfest and a beer competition. Newspaper editor Jonah Fox is set to unveil his prizewinning brew that is so good, it must be magical. So, is that why someone killed him? Was it to get the recipe or is there something more insipid in the works? Perhaps it is tied to the cold case involving missing girls and the mysterious Fisherman. In this third book, there is a slight thriller feel and a bit more paranormal activity to enhance the magical aspects of the mermaid storyline. Like the two books that came before, this one is also a stand-alone cozy with a touch of paranormal.  Aleksandra has settled into her new town with the help of her aunt Lidia and cousins Minka and Kamila who have Mer DNA just like Alex. She is continuing to learn about her healing abilities and to work on her relationship with detective Jack Frazier.  Ms. Addison has done a wonderful job of infusing so much emotion into this story that I felt myself getting ill with Jack's half-truth's and narrowed viewpoint, while at the same time, I want the happy ending for Alex.  

This story takes an unexpected turn with the introduction of real mermaids and government testing that has been kept secret for far too long. There are bits of danger, and misdirection as well as well laid clues that form a picture that is still missing a piece or two. Alex is getting closer to closure related to her mother's disappearance and she has to make some tough decisions. The theme of family and doing what is right versus doing what you are told or scared into thinking what is right. has been woven throughout the story. 

It hurt my heart that what I hoped to be a slow burn has gone up in flames but perhaps there is something or someone else patiently waiting for Alex to be willing to take a chance. I enjoyed this latest edition of the Enchanted Bay Mystery series and was inspired to make potato pancakes with polska kielbasa. I even found a beer brewed by the Coronado Brewing Company that features a mermaid as their logo.