By Ellery Adams
Published by Kensington Books
This was a little edgier than my usual cozy choices. I had not read the previous book but did not feel that I was out of the loop and in fact it looked like at least one new main character was added as well as a few side characters. I liked how it wove a forgotten history into the modern mystery. The addition of Cherokee lore as part of the story makes it stand out as well. I would absolutely LOVE to see a bookstore set up like Nora's Miracle Books complete with train car effect and with similar staff. I have always used the world of cozy fiction to brighten my day or relax after a bit of stress, so I can see how of bibliotherapy would be a viable and remarkable talent. Nora has a great depth of character and chances are that I will search out the earlier book to get her whole back story. She seems very "girl power" and her book club friends are like family, while at the same time she doesn't discount Jed's attention and efforts but shows a vulnerable side that has doubts. Without giving away too much I will say that several poignant topics are approached from honesty, hate (and not the way you might think), to greed, the stigma of having a debilitating autoimmune issue that flairs and subsidies, as well as redemption, and hope. The Reader's Guide at the back of the book makes this a great choice for any book club. My only request would be that the recipe for the Comfort Scones and the book pockets be included in the next edition.
By Sarah Fox
Published by Lyrical Press
Marley and the Pancake House gang are cooking up some delicious meals for the Golden Oldies athletes as well as preparing for Marley and Brett's upcoming beach wedding. With the influx of visitors and competitors, there is rarely an empty seat at least until the back to back deaths that couldn't possibly be related other than by location. Marley cannot help but ask questions although this time the pancake flipper is in the other hand when Sienna, one of her waitstaff wants to play Nancy Drew as well. Like the ones before it, this latest pancake house mystery kept me enthralled and entertained not to mention the pancake cravings. I cannot wait to make the Banana Nut Pancakes this weekend. The author does a great job of reminding the reader of how and why Marley feels and does the things she does so it is not necessary to have read the previous books to be able to follow the storyline or character development. You don't have to read the early books but after you have one, they are like the tempting pancake and crepe meals described in the stories, you are going to want more.
By Vicki Delaney
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Gemma Doyle takes her amazing powers of observation on a brief holiday across the pond bringing her entourage with her to a Sherlockian convention where she is set to present as well as accept honors on behalf of her Great Uncle. The last thing she expects to do is meet her Mother's estranged younger brother and have to solve his murder and thereby saving her father suspicion of murder. One doesn't have to be familiar with back stories to understand the players or know which game is afoot. The author does a nice job of creating a parallel between the main Sherlock characters and the main characters in the Sherlock Holmes bookshop mysteries. This latest one definitely gave a nod to the Mycroft character. Don't expect these to be modern day adaptations, no these are completely new and interesting stories with a new and interesting main character. I would love to have a fraction of the powers of observation that Gemma not only posses but also makes great use of while systematically hunting for clues with her Dr. Watson aka Jayne and the romantic aspect with West London Detective Ryan Ashburton. The only thing missing is some recipes from Mr. Hudson's Tea Room.
By Victoria Gilbert
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Amy Webber, Blue Ridge Library director and #1 researcher should be researching wedding venues for her upcoming nuptials but instead is asked to dig into the archives in hopes of assisting the police department with the recent discovery of a skeleton found on Sunny's grandparents organic farm, formerly a hippie commune in the 60"s. History tells of some unsavory events and people coming and going from the commune back in the day and Amy wants to do all she can to help the Grans, but she gets the feeling that they aren't being completely honest with her even though they have asked her to give their former commune residents a "heads up" as to the investigation. Turns out the skeleton is a local boy/musician who was supposed to have left for California. This small town story attracts the attention of a free lance reporter who is also looking into missing persons from the 60's involving drug related activities. While it isn't necessary to have read previous books, it does help you understand the nuances with each character a little bit better. Amy's romance with her neighbor now fiancé Richard, her Aunt Lydia, the mysterious Kurt Kendrick, Sunny Davis her able bodied assistant and best friend, as well as some of the other characters. All in all this is an enjoyable series with a librarian who is more than your average book worm.
By Emma Lord
Published by Wednesday Books
Tweet Cute was Too Cute! I do like a good YA book with a little snark and a lot of he said/she said. Today's generation knows how to navigate the social media waters like it's a kiddie pool but Pepper and Jake are definitely seasoned swimmers. What starts out as a media campaign between a Big Burger post and the Mom & Pop sandwich shop turns into a roller coaster ride of thrills and a test of wills. Pepper is a hard-working, get it done girl who is trying to keep Mom happy, keep her Dad happy, and keep her sister from being mad at her Mom because of the breakdown of the relationship with her Dad. Between school, swim team, getting into a top-notch college, and Big Burger social media there isn't much time for Pepper to focus on Pepper. On the other side is Jack, dive team star, class clown, and hardest worker at his parents' sandwich shop. Jack is in charge of social media for the shop as well as his twin brother's keeper as it would seem. Sparks fly when Big Burger seems to have stolen the secret recipe to Jack's Grandmother's grilled cheese sandwich. As the tweets twitter, Pepper and Jack's snark turns to more, but wait, there is an illegal chat app that has been banned by the school that plays a part in this story as well. I'm not one for spoilers so you will have to read the book when it comes out on January 21, 2020, to see just how good it is.
