May New Release Cozies

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing these ARCs in exchange for honest reviews.

See Something (A Witch City Mystery #11)

Written by Carol J. Perry

Published by Kensington

Release date: May 25, 2021

Definitely the most suspenseful of the Witch City Mysteries, with a case of amnesia, a glimpse of a death, a reckless criminal, and some very tasty recipes. Lee has been promoted and is no longer running down the stories but that doesn't mean she isn't still racing to solve the crime, after all this isn't her first rodeo. Between shiny surfaces, O'Ryan the clever cat, Aunt Ibby and the Angels, Jane Doe is sure to recover from shock induced amnesia. Lee is content to work on her new job of programming tasks and making ready the new Ranger Rob and Katie the Clown plus a dog and pony show and she still ends up in the middle of the investigation. As good as any eagle eyed sharp shooter, Lee sees things that help to further the investigation but they also lead her further into danger. On the edge of my seat as I "turned" the pages of my Kindle app. Even if this is your first Witch City Mystery you will not have trouble keeping up with the characters and chances are that you will want to check out the other books as well. Oh and did I mention the enticing menu items mentioned throughout the story? At the end of the story you will find so many wonderful recipes. I have already tried two of them

Murder in a Scottish Garden
Written by Traci Hall
Published by Kensington 
Release date: May 25, 2021

Poor Paislee, all she wants to do is be a good Mom, run her yarn shop, help her Granddad and visit with the ladies on Knit and Sip night. You can't help but to root Paislee on as she tackles one challenge after another never thinking about herself, which is what gets her into possible legal trouble while on the field trip where the mystery really starts. There are moments when it seems like a glimmer of romance is possible but then she reminds herself and her BFF Lydia that she has her son Brody and he is all the man she needs, even when she turns heads during a night out dressed to the tens (because nines just isn't good enough).  Besides, she is rather busy helping DI Zeffer to solve crimes and this latest one had me guessing, so many suspects and red herrings. Paislee works her way through the suspects with her usual outgoing, helpful, and friendly demeanor, not to mention that she is doggedly determined. She is definitely someone who easily wins people over  You don't need to have read the series starter to be able to keep up, Paislee does a nice job of telling her story and bits of her back story as well. Looking forward to finding a chicken and leek soup or basil scone recipe. 

Mean and Shellfish (A Pennsylvania Dutch Inn Mystery)

Written by Tamar Myers

Published by Severn House Publishers

Release date: May 6, 2021

It has been a few years since I "visited" the town of Hernia run by Mayor Magdalena  Yoder, proprietress of the PennDutch Inn bed and breakfast. Mags is just as funny as I remember and not just chuckle funny but laugh out loud funny because she has a personality that is definitely bigger than her farm and the stories are filled with just as many charachters as it is with farm animals. The author does a great job of sprinkling in bits of back story so that the reader is never lost but rather  is as enticed to do the work and read the earlier stories. Doing the work is a popular theme in the PennDutch stories, after all people pay a great deal to get an honest to goodness Amish experience complete with mucking out stalls and schlepping their own luggage. This is one of the craziest PennDutch cozy yet and not just because there is a Billy Goat parade where one can throw candy at those who walk in the parade making goat noises, or because of the extremely unusual suspects, or the red herrings. Add it all together and you have a tired and true Magdalena Yoder Mystery complete with a very yummy recipe.