Dungeons and Danger: The Ravensea Castle Series by Elizabeth Penney

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. 

Dungeons and Danger
The Ravensea Castle Book #2
Elizabeth Penney
St. Martin's Publishing

Book two of the Ravensea Castle series starts on All Hallows Eve, during the day with a Viking Fest event located near the Ravensea Castle. The Castle is located in picturesque Yorkshire UK, near the historic and cozy town of Monkwell and has been in the Asquinth family since 1138. If you haven't read the series starter, Bodies and Battlements, don't worry, Dungeons and Danger is a cozy stand-alone that gives plenty of background. Nora Asquith, our reluctant sleuth, has an herbal apothecary business, and innkeeper. In order to save the castle financially, she came up with the idea to turn it into a Bed and Breakfast. Her father, Arthur, is the official host and family historian. He has a unique way with words and loves to educate guests about the history of the area, the family, and the ghosts. That's right, Ravensea plays host to no less than four, and Ravensea most likely has more ghosts per square foot than any other building on the island.

Which brings us to the main plot point of the story.  The castle is playing host to Professor Noman Tweedy who is interested in the Red Maiden, a Viking shield maiden named Rusla, or rather he is interested in finding her hoard which could be worth millions. He is willing to split the profits 50/50 with the family, supposedly that is the going rate.  As for the other guests starting at the castle, there is a ghost hunting film crew from the show Britain's Got Ghosts that has asked to document Ravensea's ghostly occupants for a possible episode with both visual and audio equipment. Nora would love to get some good publicity for the business. As luck would have it, the two groups know each other, and there is no love lost, but there are claims of stolen research.  

As with any cozy, things go awry, and there is a body plus several suspects. Thankfully, there is also an easy-going detective inspector, Finlay Cole, who just happens to be Nora's boyfriend, and he happens to be very supportive of her thoughts when it comes to the investigation. That is not to say that he wants her running off and confronting suspects on her own. Which is why we have Tamsyn, her sister, who is a popular actress, and a decent Watson to Nora's Holmes. 

One of the things that I really enjoy about this book, and the series overall is how close the family is. Nora, Tamsyn, Will, their dad, housekeeper/cook Janet Fagen and her handyman husband Guy are an "all for one and one for all" sort of group. In a world where people can be cantankerous and negative, this cozy group supports one another. I also enjoy the detailed descriptions and well thought out the mystery, including the various paranormal presences. I am definitely looking forward to book number three.

Keep reading is you would like to see what I thought about the series starter, Bodies and Battlements.

Bodies and Battlements
The Ravensea Castle Book #1
Elizabeth Penney
St. Martin's Publishing

This series starter was so enjoyable. It takes place in picturesque Yorkshire UK at the Ravensea Castle near the historic and cozy town of Monkwell. So, when you read, imagine everyone speaking with a bit of a Yorkshire accent. I am not sure which aspect I found more enjoyable, the furry friends, the ghost of Sir Percival, the tantalizing food, the respectful romance, or the use of demonstrative words such as harpy or quisby and even ronyon. The story involves a family with a historic home, or rather a castle and to help keep the castle from going into disrepair, the main character, Nora Asquith, gets the idea to turn it into a bed and breakfast, absolutely brilliant idea. Unfortunately, not everyone is on board with the idea, newcomer Hilda Dibble is quite vocal about her opposition to the enterprise. At least she is until Nora finds her body in the herb garden. We know that Nora isn't the killer, but does the handsome detective inspector who has just transferred to the local constabulary and is also a paying guest at the castle until his rental space is available, going to believe her? 

Who could have wanted Hilda dead? Was it related to the castle or something else entirely. The sisters once at opposition regarding the monetization of the castle, join forces to get to the bottom of this mystery. A mystery with several twists and turns not to mention a boat ride, smugglers. This book has proven to be the start of another great cozy mystery series set in the UK. The main characters are down to earth and quite relatable. I am also happy to report that Nora and her sister Tamsyn, are not the sort who take unsafe chances or investigate on their own. All of the castle characters are quite levelheaded even resident ghost Sir Percival, who is essentially a floating head. That's right, this cozy has paranormal aspects, but it is all good and all in the family, at least most of them are past family.

This was a great series starter that had me hooked from the beginning, with a strong but relatable sleuth who cares about family, justice, and fur babies of all sizes. The clues are well placed, the banter between the sisters is entertaining, and I was unable to set the book down except to grab a snack so I could continue reading. This is going to be another great series by Elizabeth Penney and I can't wait to read the next one. 

Eight Enchanted Elixirs: A Kitchen Witch Mystery by Lynn Cahoon

Result scrutiny, hellhound training under house arrest, Grandma's ex-boyfriend drama, and the demise of an embittered examiner...what else will kitchen witch Mia have to contend with?     

Eight Enchanted Elixirs
A Kitchen Witch Mystery 
Lynn Cahoon
Kensington Cozies

• Lynn Cahoon has once again crafted a paranormal cozy with characters who seem as normal as you or I, which include the all too familiar ups and downs associated with work, family, and the expectations of others. Mia Malone, Magic Springs most magical kitchen witch and creative cook for example, could care less about the score she received for the coven's national council exam although the allowance provided by the National Coven for being a level five witch, could come in handy for repairs and remodeling projects at the Academy. Mia was just happy to have the ordeal behind her. Unfortunately book 8 starts out with Mia being forced to retake the exam, and this time a special examiner with Salem witch family history will put her through the paces in an unrelenting fashion.
• It isn't as if Mia doesn't have enough normal stress from her job at the Lodge which she needs in order to help keep, or her catering business, Mia's Morsels, afloat until it can support itself. Surely the Goddess isn't testing her with some paranormal stress as well. Between the jaw dropping cliffhanger of book seven aka Mary Alice Carpenter's back-from-the-dead ex-boyfriend Dorian Alexander popping back into town and proposing marriage. Then there is the situation with Mia's boyfriend, Trent, being stuck under house arrest for six weeks while Cerby, his little Maltese has in-home hellhound training with another one of Trent’s past admirers. I really appreciate how well developed the relationship is between Mia and Trent, a healthy and trusting relationship but that doesn’t mean that Mia won’t be open to a calming mantra with a chamomile chaser. This series continues to deliver everything that a paranormal cozy fan is looking for: magic on a mission, relatable characters, and a murder that ties all the loose ends together. There are multiple subplots, and several loose ends, but not a lot of suspects. The academy society has some great members who are going to do what it takes to get the answers they need.
• There are clues sprinkled throughout, a few red herrings, and a solution that had me shaking my head. The solution was right there but those red herrings got me off track. This book is cozy and culinary with such a fun story that concludes with a very tasty and easy pumpkin muffin recipe. I whipped up a batch using fresh pumpkin frozen from last year's Jack-o’-lantern pumpkin and the flavor was fresh with just the right amount of sweetness. The same can be said about the book, there is just the right amount of sweetness, the right amount of spice, and all the characters work together to solve the mystery while propelling the overall story arc forward. This story line continues to allude to a magical conflict, so I hope that means more books.
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Thank you to the authors, publishers, and/or 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 Diva Poaches a Bad Egg: A Domestic Diva Mystery #18 by Krista Davis

A confusing case of subterfuge and the discovery of a dead body are the last things Sophie was planning on, and then the husband's family asked her to investigate.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg

A Domestic Diva Mystery #18

Krista Davis

Kensington

Sophie Winston, event planner, masterful cook, amateur sleuth is asked to investigate a murder. Not by the police, heavens no, Detective Wolf would have none of that. No, it seems that Sophie's reputation for helping the local police to solve crimes has made her a little bit of a celebrity in the town of Alexandria, Virginia. The victim's husband becomes suspect number one, which is where the request to look into things originates. Mike Nofsinger's family adored his wife Denise almost as much as Mike himself, there is no way he could have hurt her. So, if Mike didn't do it who did? 

Sophie is an excellent amateur sleuth because while she makes a point of reminding people that she is not a professional investigator. In addition, she also works to get to the truth, which she shares with Detectives Wolf and Wong. Sophie seldom goes rogue by putting herself into dangerous situations, at least not on purpose.  This mystery is multifaceted with plenty of clues as well as distractions giving the reader an ending that was unexpected and heart-warming. 

There are as many twists and turns to this story as there are bits of helpful advice from both Sophie, as well as Natasha, Sophie's friend who is a borderline frenemy. The advice column inserts make for a humorous distraction as well as some very good bits of advice. Also included in this culinary cozy is a recipe for Eggs Benedict. Don't let the idea of poaching an egg in boiling water intimidate you, author Krista Davis gives excellent directions. There is also a great recipe for pumpkin donut holes that are baked instead of fried. I couldn't decide between the two, so I made both.

               

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 by Meringue: A Darcy and Mozart Cozy Culinary Mystery by Greta Sinclair

A honeymoon interrupted by murder, meringue, and an adorable foodie schnoodle named Mozart. 

Murder by Meringue
A Vivid Sydney Cozy Culinary Murder Mystery
A Darcy and Mozart Culinary Cozy
Greta Sinclair

Book #12 of the Darcy and Mozart Culinary Cozy series takes us on Darcy and Marcus’s much anticipated and needed honeymoon. Which was originally delayed due to Marcus’s Interpol police work, but now the two are off to Australia for a bit of post-matrimonial holiday bliss during Vivid Sydney, a multi-day event of Lights, Music, Minds, and Food. What was sure to be an amazing time for The Wandering Foodie’s golden girl food critic at least until Darcy’s best friend who is supposed to be stateside with Mozart the schnoodle shows up at Pavlova After Dark and photojournalist Lizzie's innocence when judge and former boyfriend, Jules Ransom takes his first and last bite of authentic Australian Pavlova. Did you know that pavlova was originally from Australia, I did not until I read this book.

It took me one day to devour this story because I could not put it down. Even as a first-time reader of the series I was never lost, there were no spoilers for previous books. I also appreciated how well Darcy and Marcus worked together. If you have read a cozy or two then you know the romance part where the sleuth ends up in all kinds of predicaments and the law enforcement character, and often love interest, has learned that the sleuth is going to do what she does especially when a friend who is really family is in the line of fire. The mutual respect that both characters show each other is nice and comforting, everything that a cozy should be. Kudos to Darcy for learning to compromise and for not going rogue, or off on her own. With Lizzie in the nick (Aussie for jail), Darcy is joined by Mozart and Bluey, no not a blue cartoon dog…Bluey is a Crocodile Dundee style food show roadie who was able to see what so many people missed. He becomes the Watson to Darcy’s Sherlock not to mention that he respects Mozart, even refers to him as “the little foreman.” These two have their work cut out for them with a handful of suspects and a vitriol spewing victim who reveled in drama. 

I think that I just might have to put Vivid Sydney on my cozy book location bucket list. It is a real event that looks absolutely AMAZING. Not to mention that I learned all sorts of new vocabulary words thanks to the author’s research, be sure to check out the glossary at the back of the book. It's these details that really enhance a mystery. Do you know what else is at the conclusion of the story? The recipe for pavlova is at the back, and it goes step by step which gives me the perfect recipe pairing for this book as well as the idea to make a Pavlova Bar to take to couples class next week.

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and/or 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.

Death In The Dark: The Novel Detectives Book 2 by Ellie Alexander

It started out like every other day at the Secret Bookcase bookshop, until a man staggered in covered in blood...

Death in the Dark
A Novel Detectives Mystery Book 2
Ellie Alexander
Storm Publishing 

Book two of A Novel Detectives Mystery series is a stand-alone cozy but it starts out like a noire mystery complete with a man who has no memory of the night before or why he would be covered in blood. Josh Bynaum, the local track team head coach and English teacher, comes stumbling into the office. Redwood Grove is a quiet and cozy town. The kind of cozy town with a mystery bookstore called The Secret Staircase that doubles as the office for The Novel Detectives, the professional and dynamic sleuthing duo of Annie Murray and Fletcher Hughes. Annie and Fletcher decide to take the case and in the process of retracing Josh’s footsteps, they discover the body of assistant track coach Rob Meyers. 

Of course, the blood-caked client and the body drop grabbed my attention and teased me into reading more. Josh seems like the obvious choice for a person of interest, maybe even a suspect, but he isn’t the only one. There is plenty of suspicion to go around. Thankfully, the police are wise enough to utilize the talents of the Novel Detectives since there will be quite a bit of footwork to do for this case. There is a rival high school team’s coach, a very vocal and rich booster parent, the school administration and a few teachers. Is this a case of Occom’s Razor or is there a dark and sinister subplot. Okay not so dark or sinister, this is a cozy mystery after all. You can’t help but to keep turning pages as Annie and Fletcher follow the clues and ask the questions.  

All of the characters are well crafted; the descriptions make it incredibly easy to picture all that takes place. I was even craving a spring chicken sandwich after reading about the lunch that Annie’s boyfriend Liam had made for her at the Stag Head pub. Fletcher Hughes is the quintessential (young) Sherlockian and I think it is very unique that he and Annie are such good friends. Dr. Caldwell, the local detective, was Annie’s criminal justice professor and mentor. Annie has an interesting back story so be sure to read the series starter, A Very Novel Murder. Even Professor Plum the furry feline character has quite the bit of character, as do Jekyll and Hyde the shop’s pseudo mascots who take up residence just outside the bookshop.

I look forward to catching up by reading the series starter and then checking out books three, A Murder at the Mansion.

Thank you to the publisher/author/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.

Tides Wait For No Witch: Spelltide Bay Magic Mysteries #1 by Natalie Summers

What would you do if you inherited a house, a business, a family, and the power of a water witch and had no idea as to why?

Tides Wait For No Witch
Spelltide Bay Magic Mysteries #1
Natalie Summers

What a fun series starter that instantly draws the reader in with new twists and turns with almost every chapter! If you are a fan of the cozy character, Mitzy Moon, then you are going to be absolutely charmed by Sara Rivers. This cozy is set on an island off of the Northwest Pacific coast, an island with a town that is occupied by the most interesting and unusual of characters, and apparently everybody knows everybody else's business. Imagine the surprise when Sara, who recently lost her mom and her job, learns that she has inherited a house and so much more. Sara who has had to be strong for the majority of her life, because she and her mom only had each other and they were constantly on the move. Sara will learn the importance of community, of family, of giving back, and helping others. That is not to say that she did not have it in her, but rather she did not have opportunities thrust upon her to stretch those people skills.

The emotional roller coaster of this cozy is tempered with a bit of sass, a family secret, a smoking FBI agent, and a whole support system unlike anything that Sara could have ever imagined. Sara is going to need a whole lot of yarn to crochet herself back to a happy place. The paranormal parts make the story even more colorful than I could have ever imagined. Almost everyone has a special ability, okay, almost everyone is a witch of one sort or another. Sara is half water witch and half undine; I had to look up the definition of undine. Essentially, Sara is one with the water and the water is one with her which also means that the water "speaks" to her as does Ollie, the kleptomaniac otter. He is so much fun and such a cutie! Sara's dad Bennett makes magic in the kitchen, half-sister Frothy has the gift of foresight (sort of), Bennet's mom Warra likes to play with fire, and his dad Torrent has water abilities. Oh, and that smoking hot FBI guy, well he's part dragon on his mother's side. How could you not want to pick this book up and start reading?

Still not sure, then let me tell you about the murder mystery aspect.

There are artifacts, tunnels, and tidewolves, oh my. Not to mention that the mysterious benefactor, great-aunt Katrika left behind a house, a business, and a whole lot of secrets, but no straightforward answers to any of Sara's questions. Like why does no one think it odd that a perfectly healthy woman just falls down dead on the beach in the middle of the night? Sara relies on her wits and some new skills to sus out the clues. For example, she interviews orca whales that transfigure into wolves. The addition of the Innuit mythical Akhlut folklore aka tidewolves is a nice touch. This story has so many layers. It is similar to varying dive depths in the ocean, and the deeper Sara gets, the darker and murkier the mystery becomes. While this mystery is sure to be a stand-alone, not everything is revealed by the end of this tale.

Sara is a character after my own heart, with a touch of sass, a good head on her shoulders, a dash of daring, a whole lot of heart, and a healthy appetite for good food. Reading about all of the tasty baked goods inspired me to bake a batch of Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones, which might console me while I wait for the next book.

Thank you to the publisher/author/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 Handyman's Last Bite: Bay View Harbor Mystery Series #1 by Elaine L. Orr

The one time the handyman pays for an order instead of helping himself to a sample turns out to be the last time...

The Handyman’s Last Bite
Bay View Harbor Mystery Series #1
Elaine L. Orr

Gypsy Lee Miller has left the big city of Washington D.C., to return to the quiet and cozy town of Bay View Harbor located along the Chesapeake. A town where everybody knows your name and your business, just ask Mrs. Carnahan, if you can’t say anything nice, go sit next to her. What can I say, almost every cozy small town mystery has a Mrs. Carnahan. Almost every town also has a bakery, and this is where Gypsy Lee (I really like the unusual name) has joined forces with her cousin Linda, to provide the town with some truly tasty baked goods such as muffins, cookies, scones, and brownies. Recipes for several of the baked goods mentioned can be found at the back of the book. I struggled to make a choice to pair with my review but finally settled on the Oatmeal Apple Cookies since I have never made apple cookies of any type.

Gypsy Lee’s plan was to work hard with her cousin to get the bakery to a profitable point while reintegrating herself into Bay View Harbor. It was a well thought out plan, at least until local handyman Gordy Steele takes a bite of a lemon cupcake and falls down dead. The interesting thing about Gordy is that he reminds you of the character Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons who “would gladly pay you tomorrow, for a hamburger today.” It seems that Gordy owed people money and people may have been paying Gordy to do more than just fix an awning or paint a kitchen. Suspects abound from the town mayor to a couple of poker buddies. The gossip is that a killer cupcake “did in” the handyman, so of course, just as the bakery is getting going, the rumor mill is causing the progress to come to a halt. Not to mention that it is a crime scene that will require a closing, testing of ingredients, and clean up before reopening. Well, this is Gypsy Lee’s life savings on the line, and she can’t possibly stand back and wait for justice or the police to get the crime solved. Even if the detective is an old friend, a handsome and single old friend. A friend who warns her multiple times to stay out of the investigation, but do you think she is going to listen. Honestly, what amateur sleuth in a cozy, ever listens. In her defense, Gypsy Lee is slightly encouraged by her yoga teaching bestie, Tessa, to get involved. Tessa is just one of the interesting and entertaining characters.  

This is a great series starter with a nice lineup of characters. There is even some character growth just in the first book alone from more than one main character. I was not surprised by who the culprit turned out to be, but I did think there were more crimes to be solved. My guess is that this is a subtle cliffhanger hook that will keep me in suspense until the next book comes out. Until then I will console myself with various cookie recipes straight from the Bay View Harbor Bakery. 

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.