By Sherry Harris
Published by Kensington Books
Release date: July 28, 2020 Available on Kindle, Audio, or Paperback
Death of a Wicked Witch (A Hayley Powell Food and Cocktail Mystery)
Tea & Treachert (Tea by the Sea Mysteries)
What the Hatmaker Heard (A Missy DuBois Myster #6)
The Devil's Bones (A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery)
Quiche of Death (A Sugar & Spice Mystery #3)
Murder at the Falls (Creature Comforts Mystery #3)
A Spell for Trouble (An Enchanted Bay Mystery)
By Esme Addison
Published by Lyrical Press
Availble now on Kindle or July 7, 2020 in hardback
How far would you go to honor a friend's last request? Chloe takes a leave of absence from her job as a children's librarian and a cold climate to help her best friend Boone's grandmother when Boone dies while deployed. This story is so rich in emotion that I was sad one moment and laughing (there's more than one meaning to the word fixer LOL) the next with a bit of "hmmm" thrown in for good measure. An excellent bit of character developement and the diversity was perfect. From ViVi, the grandmother you didn't expect (except for the fact that she owns and runs a bar in Florida) with a bit of sass, Joaquin the bartender with a little latin flair, a handsome husband and an unexpected kind heart, and then there is the mysterious Rhett Barnett with green eyes (yep he does have a little bit of the Rhett Butler/Clark Gable thing going on). The last thing Chloe expected when she promised to look after Boone's grandmother if anything should happen to him, was to help her get off the suspect list when a local turns up stabbed by a bartender channel knife from her bar, The Sea Glass. You find yourself rooting for Chloe as she wades into the murky mystery and starts to "investigate" just who in the Hertitage Business group could be settig ViVi up to take a fall. Along the way, Chloe learns a few things that make her realize that she has been missing clues of a different kind from her own life. I really liked how this ended and I can't wait to reproduce Chloe's shrimp and pasta dinner with a nice bottle of Chardonnay. If only I had the view she now has from her front porch.
By Lee Hollis
Published by Kensington
Release date: July 28, 2020 Kindle, Audio, or Paperback
Who doesn’t like a good sandwich or better yet a mixed drink and a meaty masterpiece. Such wonderful recipes found throughout this cozy with a Halloween setting. The Garber’s annual Halloween party, the Witches Ball is the unfortunate setting for this cozy’s murder. The new pastor and his talented sandwich making wife are new to Bar Harbor which had one food truck and a very cantankerous owner who threatens the new comer and her Wicked ‘Wiches food truck with “ruing the day” if Trudy continues to encroach on her territory. Sounds pretty serious doesn’t it? Well not only does Trudy deal with a rival food truck but she also has to brush off the advances of the handsy Reverend Staples. When Trudy is found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in her truck during the Witches Ball, Haley knows that she can’t rest until the culprit is caught. So many red herrings in this one and a few reported ghost sightings to add a little Halloween ambiance to the story. As always, Haley’s articles give great background and enhance the characters. This story did not have many of the usual characters since Haley’s daughter Gemma was in town for a visit and some advice. I found this to be another great installment in the series and several more recipes for me to try, especially the crockpot pulled pork and the Cuban sandwich. The story is a virtual roller coaster taking you up and down and round and round between suspects and scenarios. Just when you think it is over, a new twist and turn get you going again. This is a quick read because you are not going to want to put it down so I suggest you start with the Slow Cooker Cuban sandwich recipe found at the end of Chapter 15 to keep you from getting too hungry followed by the Godiva Chocolate Martini as a dessert cocktail which happens to appear on the page before the Cuban Sandwich recipe.
By Vicki Delaney
Published by Kensignton Books
Release date: July 28, 2020 available on Kindle, Audiobook, and Hardcover
This is a new series by Vicki Delaney and it does not disappoint! A tough as nails British grandmother named Rose and a very clever culinary wiz of a grandduaghter named Lily. One owns a bed and breakfast, the other manages the B&B as well as owning and running the Tea by the Sea Tearoom. Rose's dream was to own a B&B and Lily's was to own a tea room. Neither had anticipated those ventures being threathened by a developer who wanted to build a resort right next door to the Victory-on-the-Sea B & B. Even more surprising when the local detective has his sights set on eighty-five year old Rose as the number one suspect in the death of the nextdoor neighbor whose land was going to be sold to the developer, that is, until he ended up dead on the rocks below the cliffs adjacet to the Victory-on-the-Sea. and now Lily must do all she can with the help of her BFF Bernie and the new English gardner, Simon. It's a pity that Simon is only there for the summer as he seems just as capable in the kitchen as he is in the garden, looks to me like it would be a smart match. I do appreciate the detail that went into describing the afternoon tea and the small bit of history. If you have haven't been to one I would suggest finding a tea shop that offers afternoon tea (a British shoppe would be ideal) to have a cuppa and relax with this new cozy and get to know the folks at the Victory -by-the-Sea B&B as well as the clever and caring owner of Tea by the Sea.
By Sandra Bretting
Published by Lyrical Press
Release date: July 28, 2020 available on Kindle and Paperback
Missy is busy as always during the hot and harried holy marimonial season and this one is no difference. Barely time to see to the preparations of her own upcomig nuptials, Missy is doing her best to be the milliner with the mostest. This title definetly describes this mystery as Missy proves again that she has a knack for being in the right place and sometimes the wrong place but at the right time. How was she to know that when she went looking for the wayward groom she would find hime dead in the silo She should most likely be put on retainer by her good friend, Detective Lance LaPorte as she solves yet another mystery in the midst of wedding mayhem. Missy's character helps me to remember that gentility is very useful and sometimes it is better to just "bless their hearts," that to be put off by people who seem to not be acting in a normal fashon. While Missy is dong her level best to help the bride and her family to cope with the death of the groom she manages to not loose it all when she learns about her own wedding plans going astray. I could 100% sympathize with Missy's situation, I have actually been there done that only mine was not an electrical issue but a mechanical one. I think that if you combined the various ladies from Designing Women and a little bit of Jessica Fletcher with a sprinkle of Charlie's Angels you would end up with Missy. These stories are definelty stand along and every single one is as enjoyable as the one before it. The story has plenty of suspects with and a few red herrings that will make you second guess yourself while armchair sleuthing.
By Carolyn Haines
Published by Minotaur Books
Release date: July 22, 2020 available on Kindle, Audiobooks, or Hardcover
I learn all sorts of things from reading cozy mysteries and this latest Sarah Booth book has given me another entry for my bucket list. A small town in Mississippi is home to a small reproduction of the Holy City in the story and in reality and it gives us the perfect backdrop for an Easter mystery. What started out as a wonderful girls weekend away before Tinkie's pregnancy makes life a bit more suddenly becomes a holy nightmare with people dying. Having read a few Sarah Booth books previously, I was familiar with the character Jitty, the family ghost whom only Sarah Booth can see and talk with. Jitty likes to shape change into notable women and give cryptic warnings. The crack team of Sarah Booth and Tinkie show what it means to be the best detectives as well as best friends. This is definetly a "girl power" novel, from gun toting Tinkie, to the bronco busting Sherrif Glory. This story also comes with plenty of suspects which means lots of red herrings and a sighting of an old foe.
By Mary Lee Asford
Published by Lyrical Press
Available July 21,2020 on Kindle and paperback
New client and that means a new set of recipes and a new mystery for Sugar and Dixie. This time it involves a family in the frozen food business and the quiched Lorraine recipe that started it all. Sugar heads out to meet the family as they gather for a reunion-like weekend that begins with some family drama and ends in murder, mayhem, and a meloncholy pup. This latest story has more than one mystery for Dixie and Sugar to solve and more than one delicious sounding recipe to make. On the romance front, little progression seems to be made by either lady as Dixie and the Chief seem to be as a good a pairing as chocolate and well, anything they are like a slow cooker with regards to acting on it. A little progress is made between Sugar and her photographer but any realy developement has yet to take place. While this is a stand alone story and not a continuation of an ongoing it is easier to understand the relationships if you are already familiar with the characters. The quiche baked up beautifully and I enjoyed the story just as much as I the quiche. Looking forward to the next mystery and recipes, hopefully a comfort food story with maybe a bit of fall flavor.
By Arlene Kay
Published by Lyrical Press
Release date: July 14, 2020 available on Kindle and paperback
Perri is back with her BFF Babette to do some good with their canine companions. What starts out as a service dog social hour at the Falls Senior Residential Apartments becomes a literay legacy cozy with the possible granddaughter of Oscar Wilde and an unpublished manuscript. As usual, Babette the very posh BBF has managed to get the canine crew involved in a mystery and this time there is death by chocolate, poison laced chocolate. But if the supposed target never touches the stuff, who was it really meant to hurt? Peri and her marvelous malinois are on the trail of a murderer and a manuscript. Magdalen is a most unique character with just the right amount of character. This story within a story keeps you guessing as to who or whom the culprit can be and has you on the edge of your seat as the trio (Perri, Babette, and Wing) plus the lawyer, explore Madgalen's family tree before someone tries to prune it. Is the murder about a manuscript or is there somethihng more? The romance between Perri and Wing progresses just a little bit more as the warrior orphan and former military ma'am turned leathersmithing lady lets those walls down just a little bit more. The fact that D.C.'s most eligible is like putty in the small hands of his adorable poppet of a daughter makes Perri melt even more. My guess is that Perri would be sad if this doesn't work out with Wing, but she braces herself in each novel for that possibility, if the relationship she has with his darling daughter Ella went away, she would truly be heartbroken. You don't need to read the two previous stories but you will want to when you finish with The Falls.
By Esme Addison
Published by Lyrical Press
Availble now on Kindle or July 7, 2020 in hardback
I love coming across new stories that take place in North Carolina. There is something to be said for the hometown heroines and throughly believe in supporting local as much as possible. This is a nice blending of magic, medicinal herbs, and murder. Alex is an excellant character who is easy to relate to, after all how many of us have found ourselves in need of a fresh start in a loving environment. Such a central theme to all cozies is the sense of friends, family and loving support. This was a great start to a new series with just enough of an intriguing back story that hooks you. A nice set of clues and red herring distractions plus a little potential romance. Best of all, there are wonderful descriptions of Polish patries that I cannot wait to try my hand at making kolaczki with blackberry jam for the centers. Who doesn't like a sweet treat to indulge in while escaping into a world of mystery for an hour or so. The only thing that would have made this book complete is by having those tantalizing treats listed in recipe form at the back of the story.
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