December 2022 New Cozies

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

DECEMBER 27TH RELEASES

Muffin But the Truth
A Bakeshop Mystery
Ellie Alexander
St. Martin’s Paperbacks

 

An Executive Team that needs more than just building, hires Jules and Torte to cater their roughing it and rafting retreat complete with all the glamping essentials. I am not sure that toxic truly illustrates just how bad the work relations are with the Bamboo group, the boss would make a great victim because no one seems to like her and she doesn’t seem to like her employees. While the employee that everyone says good things about ends up as the victim. The whole time I am reading this story I am wondering to myself why these people have not found new jobs and moved on! Needless to say there are plenty of suspects; there are also plenty of likable characters thanks to Jules and company. Torte would be an amazing place to work or frequent, between the menus and those who create such tantalizing food and drink.  Then there is Jules and Carlos who make a dynamic and loving couple and have worked hard to achieve their happy ever after. No need to read the earlier installments of the series as the backstory is worked in where and when needed, but you are going to want to go back and start at the beginning.  Not to mention the great collection of recipes that you will acquire with each book.  

Rum and Choke
A Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery
Sherry Harris
Kensington Cozies

No one mentioned the Florida Panhandle Barback Games to Chloe, nor did they mention that she was going to be representing the Sea Glass Saloon, or that it would be against “ringers” who doubled as professional athletes of sorts. Former librarian now bartender in training and half owner of the Sea Glass saloon, Chloe Jackson, is well settled in her new lifestyle serving drinks and running on the sandy beach, she has discovered her groove and a little romance. It will be easy they said, they would prep her they said, plenty of time (10 days) to get ready. She wasn’t planning on having to do a little reconnaissance either, that is a job for Ann Williams the local fixer and descendant of the notorious John Lafitte. Speaking of Ann, she needs Chloe’s help too, to locate a treasure and to find out who killed the one contestant whom Ann knew the world renowned triathlete better than most of the locales, seems that they had some history.  There are so many things to keep Chloe busy, so many places to go, people to see, questions to ask, near misses to miss. Surely your interest is peaked? One of the best parts about this series is that Chloe is so fun to follow, completely relatable, and she shares plenty of backstory so you don’t have to know how she ended up in Emerald Cove or who all the players are since there is a list of Heritage Business characters at the start of every story.   So do you know how to make a lime rickey? Well you will after reading this cozy, maybe look up the recipe and enjoy it while you’re reading. 

  

DECEMBER 6TH RELEASES

Frozen Detective: A Piper and Porter Mystery
Amanda Flowers
Hallmark Publishing

It is the end of the year, when the world seems to slow down and the PI jobs seems to have gone cold. For Darby Piper and Tate Porter, background checks pay the bills but they aren’t any sort of exciting. A weekend at the exclusive Garden Peak Lodge and the threat of murder on New Year’s, now that sounds a bit more exciting. The only drawback is the rather rude and uppity female client Tate was friends with back in high school. Of course that was a while ago, and nobody stays the same. Dressed to the nines with champagne flowing and amazing food to snack on (check out the recipe for Goat Cheese Phyllo Puffs located at the end of the book) Darby and Tate get busy posing as a couple while looking for possible threats. Little did they realize that their very own client would look to be guilty, of course the spouse is always first on the suspect list. A weekend for people to pitch their beauty/skin care ideas to Dr. Garret Madd owner of MaddlyCare. So why is he being threatened and who would profit the most from his death? Cecily (do not call her CeCe) was going to be replaced by a younger spokesmodel, but was that all she was being replaced for or was there more. Not everyone was able to pitch their ideas and no all ideas were accepted, could it be an unhappy guest. Then there is the fact that Cecily is looking to sell the lodge, which was bequeathed to her by her late father with the understanding that her half-brother would continue on as ski instructor with a place to live. The job goes from looking for a threatening note writer to looking for a killer and having to share the scene with the cops, or rather with Darby’s ex-boyfriend Austin Caster who seems to have no respect for Darby’s abilities even after she figured out who had caused the death of her past partner, Samantha Porter, Tate’s aunt. There is lots of action, mystery, suspects, misdirects, and plenty of subtle warm fuzzies between Darby and Tate, or rather Tate is trying to be warm and Darby gets a little fuzzy with trust issues (due to being dumped, thrice by Officer Austin) and past relationship regrets (not that she would ever tell Austin that she missed him…sometimes). I am rooting for Tate since Austin just can't seem to appreciate or value Darby's abilities. 

Sleuthing in Stilettos
A Resale Boutique Mystery
Debra Sennefelder
Lyrical Press

Kelly Quinn has had a tough year, the death of close cousin, being forced to keep a secret for the sake of family, and the possible loss of a lifelong friendship. Keeping busy seems to help, there are always new consignors and the Shop Small Saturday event planning helps, but is it too much? Things seem to go missing and Kelly isn’t remembering to lock doors or send messages, is she getting overwhelmed?  Kelly doesn’t think so, and when she and her part time Boutique clerk Breena find shoe store owner Miranda, dead and Kelly’s uncle Ralph standing over her body…Again, Kelly is asked to help family and make sure that uncle Ralph is off of the suspect list. It shouldn’t be too hard, not one single person has said one good thing about Miranda Farrell’s return since she left Lucky Cover twenty years ago under a dark cloud and two dead husbands. Kelly is the sort of sleuth who can ask the tough questions, although it doesn’t make her popular. She is also smart enough to share what she learns with her sort of boyfriend, Detective Nate Barber. So many suspects and are they ever touchy about being questioned, are they hiding something or is it a bit of red herring? Plenty of backstory, so yes this is a stand-alone cozy mystery but you will want to read the others to see just how much Kelly has become a party of the community which has become part of her family.  

November 2022 New Cozies

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

NOVEMBER 29TH RELEASES

Bake Offed
A Five Ingredient Mystery
Maya Corrigan
Kensington Cozies

 Did you see that book cover, how could you not want to pick it up and give it read? Bake Offed offers the plot of a bake off and a mystery convention with an added hook of a “locked room” who done it. Not to mention the unique history behind Granddad’s recipe box, what an incredible and valuable find that offers a unique recipe for this themed bake off. That very recipe box goes missing after the completion of the bake off contest. Granddad is sure that fellow contestant and rival recipe columnist, Cynthia Sweet must have sticky fingers. Before he is able to do some private investigating, Cynthia turns up dead in a locked room with a tea kettle whistling.  In order to help Megan keep this even on track, Val and Granddad must; in Holmes-like fashion, eliminate all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.  Many suspects for both the murder and the theft of the book come to light but how did they do it?? Recipes from the bake off and some created by the Codger cook and based on the characters from the game Clue are found at the back. I highly recommend this story and the Mrs. White bean chili, scrumptious!  

Bread Over Troubled Water
A Bread Shop Mystery
Winnie Archer
Kensington Cozies

Yeast of Eden is hopping every morning with regulars who drop in to get the delicious and freshly baked goods (recipes provided at the end of the book) from Olaya Solis and staff. That is, until a patron is found dead from poisoning that may or may not have been in his usual Tuesday morning order, a sourdough roll. I would have gone for the breakfast cookie, myself. There is no way that Ivy Culpepper, part time counter clerk and professional photographer is going to let anyone malign her home away from home and the friends she calls family.  Charismatic and soon to be divorced, Josh Prentiss, is a man thought to be a saint by by the athletic department especially the football boosters and a well-to-do financial advisor who is quite tech savvy. Maybe too savvy when it comes to a certain dating app…just ask Olaya’s sister, Martina.  There are plenty of suspects including the widow who isn’t grieving and a harem that is missing him and some of their money. Which leads to Ivy pulling out the sleuthing skills, teaming up with her octogenarian neighbor, Mrs. Branford, and track down the answers, while also getting things ready for the big party.  While this is a stand-alone mystery, and there is plenty of back story to keep you from being lost, it is always more fun to “see” the characters develop not only through a single storyline but the entire series. From Ivy’s arrival back to town to present day as she plans for her future with Miguel, after so many years.  

Murder on a Class Trip
Maya and Sandra Mystery 
Lee Hollis
Kensington

Sandra and Maya are two different and complex characters who, like ying and yang, they complement each other’s differences. Maya, a former cop turned PI has a hard outer shell but a soft heart, and Sandra Wallage is as elegant as silk having spent the last two decades as a senator’s wife but is also made of tougher stuff as a result of those  DC years. Both are excellent moms who would do just about anything for their high schoolers (who happen to be dating each other, awkward for the kids). Speaking of high school, the annual trip is coming up and they need chaperones. No one wants to have their parent chaperoning the trip, and news flash, not all parents want to go either. Such is the case in this story, but without Maya Kendrick there won’t be a trip, and Maya isn’t going alone, her partner in crime solving, Sandra, will going along for the ride.  Next stop, Washington D.C., the place where politics can be cutthroat and perception is everything. It looks bad for Senator Wallage, who swears he is innocent, of both an affair with his intern and her death.  Sandra knows that her soon to be ex-husband has his flaws, but he isn’t a killer. This is fast paced cozy with several interesting characters creating multiple avenues of inquiry and the culprit was a complete surprise. There is plenty of backstory included so this can be read as a stand-alone. Looking forward to what life brings to Sandra as she navigates being single. 

Steeped in Secrets
(A Crystal & CuriosiTEA mystery)
Lauren Elliott
Kensington Books

An excellent start to a new series, with an engaging story, a multi-layered mystery, and a little brogue from Mr. McHeart-Flutter. I was all in from the first page and didn’t want to put it down until I got to the end, leaving me to ponder about how long am I going to have to wait for the next one to come out. Oh, and I have a craving for a proper Irish stew. Shay has not had the best of luck and none of it due to her choices, she didn’t choose to lose her parents, she didn’t choose to have a philandering–thief of a husband, she did not choose to have her professional reputation take a hit, but she shoulders on.  A mysterious inheritance takes her back to her childhood home where she reconnects with her sister, becomes a bit of a mentor, and meets a police detective turned pub owner. The clues were well placed and I was able to only figure out a small portion of the mystery thanks to the red herrings. I look forward to seeing how the series progresses. Sláinte, to Lauren Elliott on this great new series!

NOVEMBER 8TH RELEASES

Grilled for Murder
A Sophie Kimball Mystery
J.C. Eaton
Beyond the Page Books
 

The smell of a slow roasted BBQ is so much better than a garbage transfer station in one’s backyard, right?!?! So says the residents of Sun City West, which will play host to a Food Network sponsored Slow Roasters BBQ challenge and the pinochle crew has made the cut with their special marinade. There are the usual laughs with Sophie Kimball aka Phee, talking to herself or rather trying to talk herself down as she “investigates” the death of Cosmo Pruett, chairman of the Maricopa County Planning Commission and also happened to be on the opposing BBQ team. Herb’s name ends up on the “persons of interest” list, which means Phee will have no peace until she listens to her mom and gets sleuthing, whenever and where ever. That will have to include a trip to the dog park with Streetman for insider info. It is not a Sophie Kimball mystery without Streetman, the neurotic chiweenie and this time he has dragged a friend along (literally). What you should know is that Phee has never called herself an investigator, she is the bookkeeper for the two man investigative agency, and regardless of how successful she is at discovering the truth aka keeping Harriet’s book club ladies and Herb’s pinochle crew calm, she will not consider getting a degree in criminal investigations until Phoenix gets a foot of snow. It could happen…

October 2022 New Cozies

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

OCTOBER 25TH RELEASES

A Trip with Trouble
The Mountain Lodge Mysteries
Diane Kelly
St. Martin Paperbacks

Grab a warm cup of cider to pair with this story of Biker babes, the Blue Ridge Mountains, family drama, mystery and the Mountaintop Lodge. It is fall in the North Carolina mountains where the leaves are an array of autumn color and the air is as crisp as the apples used for making cider.  Dangerous Curves, a Raleigh biker club for ladies is staying at Misty Murphy's lodge for a week of riding and relaxation, these ladies don't rest, they are too busy seeing the sites. At least until their group leader  is found the victim of an unfortunate accident, or was it an accident. Possible culprits turn up around each turn as Misty's thoughts weave in and out with each passing day and each passing guest interaction.  Was it a fellow biker with a temper, something related to the recent motorcycle thefts, or the entitled stepson who wanted access to more money from a family trust, or was it something else all together?  A nice amount of mystery, romance, girl power. 

OCTOBER 11TH RELEASES 

A Christmas Candy Killing

A Killer Chocolate Mystery
Christina Romeril
Crooked Lane Books

This story had me at chocolate! An engaging tale that gets you in the mood for Christmas and all things sweet and sleuth related. I was hooked by the delicious sounding chocolate candies and the tantalizing tale of murder. Have you ever watched one of those Most Wanted shows and then thought that just maybe your neighbor wasn’t the person you thought they were? Nope, me either (thank goodness). Poor Jane, she so wanted to be a sleuth, and not just a member of Sleuth, the book club that meets at Alex and Hannah’s confections and mystery bookshop, instead she becomes the victim. Did she cry wolf one too many times? The town of seems to be filled with a slightly older demographic and I do believe that this is the first time that I have read about a 43 year old, single, sleuth. Single by choice following an early marriage that only lasted a year, Alex is a bit gun-shy, but maybe there is a little something to those looks that her neighbor Tom has been giving her. Tom is one of the few who are not on the suspect list, he’s a pastor and former prison warden after all, he is also a little older than Hannah, which is probably why she just isn’t sure, and since he has only been a widower for six months, she really doesn’t think that dating is on his mind…is it? There are plenty of other people on the suspect list even though Jane wasn’t a gossip, which is quite rare in the small town atmosphere; unfortunately, it still left a bitter taste in more than one mouth.   As suspect #2, Alex is determined to find the real killer since the Sheriff is looking to wrap up this case in time for Christmas with as little effort as possible. Thank goodness she has Hannah (her twin) and a few other friends to help her. Plus, who can say no to a Christmas visitor who comes bearing chocolates in exchange for answering a few questions? Great gang of friends and each is decidedly different much like that box of Killer Chocolates. I cannot wait for the next one to come out and to try my hand at making chocolates, that way I can make some to snack on while reading the next Killer Chocolate Mystery.

Crime for the Books
A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery
Kate Young
Crooked Lane Books

Perfect for the Halloween season, a Murder Mystery parties are all fun and games until it goes a too far. A bit of a locked room scenario, the Jane Does including Grandma Daisy Moody (she is a hoot and a half) must put their heads together to figure out this Agatha Christie style crime. With Southern charm and style, Lyla demonstrates why she is not to be underestimated, especially with Uncle Calvin is AWOL in South America. This story has suspense, Southern sass, unusual suspects, and a few misdirects to keep you guessing. 

Dashing Through the Snow Birds

Donna Andrews

A Meg Langslow Mystery

Minotaur Books

Be sure to brush up on your French or French cooking because the Canadians are coming to dinner and they might be around for Christmas, unfortunately so is there extremely crass and kill worthy boss. There are worse places to be, in fact if I could choose any cozy mystery family to spend time with; it would be Meg’s family, the Hollingsworths. Not only are there more than a couple dozen, they are friendly, helpful, and organized beyond belief. This is an easy one to see who is going to be the victim but not so easy to see who is going to be the killer. Even with Meg’s ever present notebook that “reminders her when to breathe,” this story was like an advent calendar with suspects and clues being added each day. Meg does her usual job of staying off of her Mom’s assignment radar while, prepping for Christmas, looking for the elusive junkos (snow birds), helping the Canadians to feel as at home as possible, and solving the murder. Just thinking about all that she undertakes makes me winded.  

Live and Let Grind
A Coffee Lover’s Mystery Book
Tara Lush
Crooked Lane Books

Orange Vanilla cold brew or orange vanilla muffins are a great pairing for this latest Coffee Lover’s mystery. Something sweet to snack on while contemplating the sandy shores, the quiet town of Devil’s Beach, and the colorful characters of Florida. A peaceful town, as long as you don’t have that neighbor who doesn’t seem to care that it is early on a Saturday morning and most people would like to sleep in as opposed to hearing the obnoxious whine of mechanized landscaping machinery, such as the neighbor who runs the leaf blower ALL THE TIME? It’s enough to make you want to scream or find a way to silence the machine, not that either Lana or Erica would ever even consider doing more than complaining. So if they didn’t do the deed, maybe it was the young widow who spends her days roller skating like it’s 1975.  Perhaps it was a former business partner? Maybe the other folks on Lana and Tara’s street had enough of his nonsense, after all, did you hear about what he did to the manatee mailbox? There are just so many suspects and clues to be checked out, when Lana isn’t busy running Perkatory her family coffee shop, spending time with police officer Noah, and trying to keep not get a concussion from shaking her head over her Dad’s monkey antics. Highly entertaining and keeps you turning the pages while pondering the amazing coffee creations that Tara comes up with. I have to wonder if all laid-off investigative journalists are as creative with getting to the truth as Lana.  Looking forward to the next installment! 

September 2022 Cozies

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing these ARCs in exchange for honest reviews. The recipe reviews and food pairing found on my Instagram feed (Cooking_With_My_Cozies) are of my own doing. 

SEPTEMBER 27th RELEASES 

Gone for Gouda
A Cheeseshop Mystery
Korina Moss
St. Martin’s Paperbacks

 Fall and cozies, two of my favorite things, topped off with a tasty beer cheese dip recipe that goes great with fresh pretzels (cheese related recipes included with the book). So grab some soft pretzels, make some beer cheese soup or dip and follow Willa, the Curds & Whey cheese shop owner, as she solves another mystery. Willa is a cheese foodie, a fan of the Gouda, the Blue, and the Havarti, who is working hard to get her business going and thriving. One way to do this is by hosting a fall event, and while Willa is highly unimpressed by this local who made it big as a millennial vegetarian social media influencer, she sure hopes that potential customers will show up for Phoebe Winston‘s cooking demonstration.  Given the diva attitude and selfish ways of the victim, there are many characters to choose from with possible motives, some from the past and some from the present, but definitely not Willa’s assistant, Archie. This is a Gouda plot (couldn’t resist the cheese pun) with a nice amount of misdirects, I thought I had it figured out but then was blown away by the reveal. I am not a fan of the triangle when it comes to cozies and hope that more develops between Willa and Detective Heath, Roman gets enough female attention as it is. 

Mrs. Claus and The Evil Elves
A Mrs. Claus Mystery
Liz Ireland
Kensington 

April Claus is one of the best holiday related cozy characters, completely relatable and has great taste in baked goods (looking forward to finding a cranberry and cashew cookie recipe), even if she can’t make them herself, much to the dowager Mrs. Claus’s (her MIL) chagrin. If you like the Sophie Kimball mysteries by J.C. Eaton you are going to love the Mrs. Claus mysteries. Each story is a stand-alone but they certainly show an unprecedented pattern of mayhem in Sanataland.  Meet April Claus who has recently married the embodiment of a mythical legend but that doesn’t mean she is any different as a person. She still likes good coffee and tasty treats such as the ice cream from her BFF Claire’s ice cream parlor.  Good thing Claire is spending the holiday with April in Santaland, and just in time to help with a missing elf issue, the reindeer strike (yes, they are unionized), Selfy shenanigans, and murder. Even with all of the sleuthing, shindigs, and overall cold weather, Claire is sure to be back. 

Murder in a Cape Cottage
(A Cozy Capers Book Group)
Maddie Day
Kensington

One week before the wedding and control oriented Mackenzie (Mac) Alameida is helping her soon to be husband, Tim Brunelle,  tear down a wall to create a master suite in their (new to her) home. The last thing either of them expected to find was a skeleton bride chained to a wall. This does not bode well for Mac’s sense of order. Bridey, Mac’s nickname for the corpse bride is a bit of a mystery and Mac’s mystery book club is good at solving mysteries. Looks like Mac will not only need to find something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, but also a little justice for the star crossed lovers too. The clues for this very cold case are well laid, and you get some great tips for conducting family research. This story is very much about family and history. There are also the some amazing food descriptions.  Thankfully, Ms. Day shares the recipes at the end of the book and I plan to try the Cape Verdean Cachupa, which sounds perfect for a cold or wet winter’s day..  

A Murder on Poet’s Walk
A Book Retreat Mystery
Ellery Adams
Kensington

 
An opportunity to die for or was it an opportunity to kill for?  Once again, Storyton Hall has become the site of not one but two Rip Van Winkle incidents, much to chagrin of Guardian Jane Steward. Jane and the staff of Storyton Hall plays host to a greeting card company contract contest complete with a signature cocktail, an amazing cocktail party menu, a literary scavenger hunt and plenty of suspects.  This time life will imitate art or rather poetry as the murderer takes a bit of poetic licensing with the subject matter. As if that wasn’t enough, priceless poetry pages from the secret collection are found scattered in multiple places both secret and odd.  Jane makes use of the clues, her many companions, and the cognitive skills of the Cover Girls book club members to solve this latest mystery. I am not sure what I enjoyed more, the mystery or the various meals enjoyed by the characters, such as the crêpes with apple filling. 

AUGUST 23nd RELEASES 

Berry the Evidence
Peg Cochran
Beyond the Page Publishing
 
This title is taken quite literally when a commode ends up in the reeds at the cranberry farm. That is not the strangest part of this mystery, Monica‘s stepmom Gina ends up in a car with a dead real estate agent. Are the two connected??? There are more than a few suspects to choose from and plenty of red herrings to throw you off track and confuse you. Monica finds herself, once again, on the trail of a mystery. This time she is also prepping for the new café located atop her husband’s book store, breaking in a superstitious baker for the Farm, and all while being in her first trimester of pregnancy which is the sleepiest trimmest of the three. As if the pregnancy doesn’t wear her out enough, the search for clues, creating cranberry yummies like the cranberry walnut muffins (recipe at end of story) is more than most people could shoulder. It does seem like the constant inquiries regarding her health from the locals might do her in, as she hasn’t told more than her closest companions that she and her husband, Mark, are expecting. This is a page turner that should be enjoyed with a nice cup of tea and a little something sweet, like those muffins.    

AUGUST 13th RELEASES 

Murder for Good Measure
Devon Delaney
Beyond the Page Publishing

This is a story of superstitions, Irish folklore, a family cooking contest, Ruggery challenges, a mystery, and a murder. This starts out with an ominous meeting at the Ruggery, Sherry Oliveri’s (I just love how her name trips off the tongue LOL) family business that has suffered some weather related damage and costly decisions need to be made. The next bit of bad luck comes in the form of a blind date that Sherry arranges for her neighbor’s Irish nanny and her brother Pep’s sous chef, Angel, which does not end well. So many possible suspects but Angel is at the top of the list since he was the last to see Nanny Cara, and Sherry is adding sleuthing to her list of duties in addition to the town newsletter, the family business, and competitive cook. Speaking of cooking competitions, this story has two, one formal one informal which provides the reader with some great dinner ideas. Be sure to check out the Irish enhanced recipes found at the end of the story such as Colcannon Potatoes with a twist and a nice Irish Pub-Style Roasted Salmon with whiskey recipe, not to confused with red herring as there are plenty of those, just enough that I was way off in my armchair deductions.

Over the moon for L'Oreal Midnight Cream

*This unbiased review is given in exchange for the opportunity to sample the product mentioned.

I already have Midnight Serum as part of my nightly routine, so when BzzAgent gave me the opportunity to sample the midnight cream I was over the moon. A quality product that is helping to keep those fine lines away from my eyes and neck (my bangs hide the lies on my forehead, joking). A simple regiment of face washing, add the serum (if you have it) and then the midnight cream. It goes on feeling like it will be thick but spreads out and is absorbed in no time. Think of it as a nice protective blanket that is protecting your face from time marching all over it. I am fortunate, between good genes (my parents don't look their ages) and the lack of makeup wearing on my part has given me a more youthful complexion. I am not fond of needles so the Botox route would not be for me, but this simple and easy routine is helping to keep my skin from not only feeling dried out but is also firming up my neckline. Who wants to have a face free of lines only to have a neck full of them? Oh and when I am finished with my face and neck, I wipe my hands off onto my arms, I figure that if it is good enough for my face why not the tops of my hands and my elbows too? Definitely good value for money, easy to use, and doesn't require an aesthetician

. 

August 2022 New Cozies

Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing these ARCs in exchange for honest reviews. The recipe reviews and food pairing found on my Instagram feed (Cooking_With_My_Cozies) are of my own doing. 

AUGUST 30th RELEASES 

Mischief, Murder, and Merlot
A Wine Trail Mystery
J.C. Eaton
Beyond the Page

Halloween hijinks gone awry or is it more than just mischief that led to murder while everyone was sipping merlot…Norrie is back vineyard sitting at the Two Witches Winery while her sister and brother‑ in-law are off on another bug tracking expedition. The Seneca Lake wineries have produced an impressive Merlot this year and   from are in town to try them out. This could be huge for the small vineyard owners and Norrie knows that her job as winery-sitter is to nod and wave. Alas, something wicked this way comes and the critic wines up in the cauldron. On the bright side it means more time with her boyfriend, the winery staff, and the Wine Trail Lake folks. On the dark side, Norrie will need to rope in her friends around the Lake to help to talk up the possible suspects and going on reconnaissance ride‑alongs.   Norrie is an extremely likeable character whom you would want to sip wine with while she tells you about her latest screenplay. The plot flows nicely (like the bottles of wine in the tasting room), and backstory is added in such a way that you are never lost or in a fog. Another great Wine Trail Mystery and the ending that leaves us hanging for the next one! 

AUGUST 23nd RELEASES 

Mrs. Morris and the Pot of Gold
A Salem B&B Mystery
Traci Wilton
Kensington Publishing

This is a mystery as juicy as a corned beef and cabbage dinner and as fast paced as an Irish jig. Charlene Morris is going to need more than just the luck of the Irish to solve this one.  Charlene’s B&B is THE idyllic place to stay when visiting Salem, Mass because you are made to feel like a member of the family, not just a guest and the social hour is amazing. After so many other misadventures (no you don’t have to be familiar with them), Charlene had no intentions of getting involved in this latest murder mystery, how was she to know that she was going to be at the wrong place at the right time just by retrieving a coat for a guest. With all the suspects saying they didn’t do it, she and her spirited housemate must figure out who is and who isn’t full of malarkey. This story has a very good cast of characters, red herrings, and an unlikely partnership.  I am thinking that this story pairs well with a chicken, spinach and mushroom quiche followed by a dessert of lacy cookies with orange zest and pecans, as both are made by Minnie, the amazing B&B cook. 

Peanut Butter Panic
An Amish Candy Shop Mystery
Amanda Flowers
Kensington

You think you know someone and then you meet their mother, and it explains quite a bit. Thanksgiving time in Harvest, Ohio and Margot has organized a community feast for both Amish and English (non-Amish) to celebrate the holiday.  The unflappable Margot has become quite flapped with the news that her mother (Zara) a retired and no longer local judge will be returning to Harvest for a visit. Margo isn’t the only one who is less than pleased with the news, as Bailey learns that Zara was unusually harsh with her judicial treatment of the Amish, making her persona-non-grata. This is a twisty plot; there is an unexpected engagement, a death at the dinner table, a secret past, and multiple suspects including Margot and her husband. Zara asks Bailey to do what she does (second) best (she is an amazing chocolatier so sleuthing is her second skill) and prove that Margot is innocent. Plenty of red herring to keep you, Bailey and Aiden guessing and a sweet treat – Maami’s Buckeye recipe at the end of the story, although I am thinking of making some Amish spread to keep around for when I want to sweeten up a biscuit or bagel.  

Six Feet Deep Dish
Mindy Quigley
St. Marten’s Press

What a fun new cozy!  Meet Delilah and Sonya of Delilah and Son’s Chicago style pizza, where chaos is prohibited and fresh flavors are the real deal.  Starting a new restaurant is no easy endeavor, even if you’re a skilled chef with a talented and supportive staff. Unfortunately, opening night is overshadowed by a not so mysterious death with Delilah’s somewhat frail great-aunt Elizabeth (Biz) as the main suspect, however unlikely, that might be. Naturally, Delilah and her crew are not going to let Biz stay at the top of Detective Calvin Capone’s list. The characters are extremely engaging, the story moved at a good pace with plenty of clues and red herrings, PLUS there are recipes for food and drink at the end of the story courtesy of Delilah, Sonya, Aunt Biz and Daniel. 

A Treacherous Tale
The Cambridge Bookshop Mysteries
Elizabeth Penny
St. Martin’s Paperbacks

A slight continuation from the series starter but you don’t need to have read the first to know what is happening in A Treacherous Tale, but I think that you’re going to want to. This is a case of tragic déjà vu, a fairy crown, and a missing Strawberry girl. Molly begins to wonder just how much of The Strawberry Girls story is fiction and how much of it is based in fact. Everyone seems to be a suspect or they are at least very suspicious which means that there are plenty of strawberry red herrings to keep you intrigued and turning pages. A well rounded story that includes a little romance with a bike shop owner, some tasty sounding pastries such as strawberry scones from Daisy‘s café and a most importantly, a well thought out mystery. 

AUGUST 18th RELEASES 

A Cornish Recipe for Murder 
A Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery
Fiona Leitch
One More Chapter

This story takes my two favorite things, British Bake Offs and cozy mysteries and creates a jolly good time. Talk about multitasking, Jodie is executing excellent bakes while looking for clues and questioning suspects. No she is not a cop who bakes, she is a former cop who caterers, and no she did not sign up for the contest but it looks like she will be taking her nosey skills and her baking skills on the road-show. Was it a case of mistaken identity or had the new assistant made an enemy, he certainly wasn’t a friendly fellow. Past history is not needed when reading a Nosey Parker book, you are given tidbits of back story to keep you in the loop. Could you imagine how incredible it would be to win the roadshow and solve the crime? Jodie works to eliminate suspects while not being eliminated from the show. When she isn’t being “Nosey” (who are we kidding, she is always looking into things that need to be looked into), she is involved in so many roles that it can make your head spin. Another fun and cheeky read that includes the recipe for Jodie’s Show Stopper, a proper fruit cake, not that nonsense that we yanks have over here in the US. So fingers crossed that I can reproduce her recipe!

AUGUST 9th RELEASES

A Dish to Die For
Key West Food Critic Mystery
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books

I really like how recipe books and restaurant reviews are woven into the Key West Food Critic mysteries, as each chapter is started with an interesting food related quote. Hayley Snow was just going along, minding her own business taking care of her husband’s pup Ziggy when they stumble upon a dead body in the sand. Actually, Ziggy and Davis Jager, local bird watcher, literally uncover a man in a shallow grave on the beach. GG Garcia, land developer and a man with more enemies than scruples who had a father who wasn’t much better and a son who could do better. Ah but tracking down clues with the help of her active adult sidekick Miss Gloria, to assist the bird watcher is not all that occupies Hayley’s time. Nathan’s out of touch Dad, who is also a cop, is in town wanting to visit. Nathan and his Dad do not have the best of relationships, not like Hayley and her folks. On top of the impromptu visitor, Hayley volunteers to help with the memorial service repast being catered by her Mom. While helping with cleanup Hayley happens upon a box with papers possibly related to the earliest version of the Woman’s Club cookbook, and pages from a diary. A diary with illustrations and recipes and the secret thoughts penned on loosely bound pages which lead to uncovering a dark secret from the past. This story takes note that while times change but some people stay the same, trapped in a perpetual cycle of discourse. Ms. Layton does an excellent job of entertaining us with a mystery and enticing us with some amazing foods, that she graciously provides recipes for at the back of the book.  

In Too Steep
A Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery
Kate Kingsbury
Crooked Lane 

Interesting story format, two person views one is the tearoom owner, Vivian Wainwright and the other is police investigator, a bit of a “she said, he said”. Now before you start thinking that Vivian and Detective Lieutenant Tony Messina are going to be an item, you need to know that she isn’t into younger men and he is into Vivian’s assistant, Jenna Ramsey. Vivian, Jenna, Gracie Jackson and are more than just coworkers, they are supportive friends and a trio of sleuths. Vivian is unable to let the mysterious death of a homeless vet found with one the not so pretty Big Ben clocks from her tea room go without trying to do him justice and find his killer. This is the second in this new series and it was not necessary to have read the starter to know what was going on with the regulars. The story has a good amount of suspects, red herrings, and clues which help to keep the story flowing and enjoyable. The only thing I could think to suggest would be to add a few English tea house recipes to go with the wonderful food items mentioned in the story.  

 

AUGUST 2nd RELEASES

Round up the Usual Peacocks 
A Meg Langslow Mystery
Donna Andrews
Minotaur Books

Cozy mystery or a how-to-book for multi-tasking while avoiding wedding prep chores, you decide. Meg Langslow is a witty and completely personable cozy main character who has a knack for solving mysteries. You find yourself chuckling and nodding your head while you read about her most unusual and delightful family, which seems to make up a good part of the town (it helps to have connections). The story takes two old and one case and sends us on a merry chase full of college collusion, mistaken identity, a mysterious disappearance, and the hunt for perfectly plumed peacocks. Be sure to grab your notebook if you are taking notes about the characters, their motives or alibis be sure to grab your  notebook or in Meg’s case, her “tells me when to breath” notebook. I might just start keeping one myself; she sure does seem to get a lot accomplished by using her notebook. I did notice that this seemed to be one of the only books where she wasn’t working in her shop (her blacksmith shop). To top it all off there is a slew of Norwegian goodies with completely unpronounceable names for everyone to enjoy when they visit Ragnar the retired rock star at his goth-like mansion Ragnarsholm. I for one am looking up recipes for Krumkaker and Trollkrem, as well as the proper pronunciation. I enjoyed this one so much I went back and read A Murder of Peacocks, the series starter, which also involved Meg in wedding plans and hunting down peacocks as well as a murderer.   

July 2022 New Cozies

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

JULY 26th RELEASES 

Death a Sketch (A Paint & Shine Mystery)
Cheryl Hollon
Kensington Publishing

Paint & Shine is entering its first fall and the end of the tourist season. Miranda, worried that times could be tight, decides to add corporate events to her offerings. Team building, art lessons, great food, and some shine cocktails sounds like a great combination, right? Upper management has other plans and team building becomes team demolition as the participating teams are set against each other in order to secure their jobs. On the bright side, Miranda is able to reunite with an old friend, on the dark side, that same friend is high on the suspect list for murder. Essentially everyone has a motive thanks to the crazy competition but who had the opportunity? Miranda teams up with Austin the forest ranger aka her romantic interest, to whittle down the suspect list. I am not sure how she finds the time to sleuth, what with the extremely busy days hosting a wide/wild variety of events for the two teams complete with good glass of shine and some excellent home-style cooking each day. Speaking of which, recipes for both shine-tails and great eats like the Homemade Herb Crackers which are found after the extremely cute ending of the story. 

Murder at the Blueberry Festival
Darci Hannah
Kensington

(Mostly) hilarious hijinks and bountiful blueberry goodies take center stage in the Beacon Harbor Blueberry Festival, unfortunately so does an unscheduled Viking burial at sea. Lindsey Bakewell hates to see her guy, Rory, unhappy so she does what she can to help him get to the bottom of his Scandinavian friend’s demise.  Thankfully she isn’t alone and has a nice group of cozy friends and family who are ready and willing to help sleuth.  She also has a cozy companion, Welly, a very big, and often wet, Newfoundland who sometimes steals the show, he is a dog apparel model after all. The story was as well-crafted as the recipes found at the back of the book. I would suggest picking up a quart of blueberries to have on hand when you take a look at the yummy recipes, in case you want to make a little something to snack on or share while you enjoy this cozy.  

Murder Spills the Tea
Vicki Delaney
Kensington

 
Great title! I recently learned that is the new way to ask for gossip, unfortunately all gossip is not good but all publicity is good, right? Wrong! Lily learns this quickly enough when she reluctantly agrees to take part in a reality TV bake off featuring the Tea Shoppe and her wonderful baked goods. The funny thing about this whole ordeal is that one would think that getting up at the crack of dawn to bake, or prepping after working an entire day is an ordeal, but not Lily. Drama begets drama whether it is naturally occurring or factiously created and this time it leads to murder. There are plenty of suspects, or rather others who make far better suspects than Lily’s assistant, Chery, who unlike several of the Hollywood types, had no true motive. Like the two books that preceded it, this cozy also has quite a bit of sleuthing, a cuddly companion, a dynamic duo, a gallant gardener, and recipes that are perfect regardless of when or how you take your tea.   

No Parm No Foul
(Grilled Cheese Mystery Book #2)
Linda Reilly
Poisoned Pen Press

Who doesn’t like a Fall Food Festival contest with a Halloween theme? This story definitely has a spooky setup, the murder, not the culinary competition, which resulted in not only some face stuffing but also some ballot box stuffing and what appears to be a staking. Obviously Ari isn’t the culprit so who did in the surly sandwich maker while cloaked in darkness and a vampire cape. Plenty of suspects to choose from who had much more of a motive than Ari which means there will be plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. An entertaining story with savory sandwiches like the Sleeps with the Fishes tuna fish sandwich featured at the back of the book. 

Witch and Famous
(Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #3)
Angela M. Sanders
Kensington Books

I have often felt that books speak to me, or rather they call to me, not unlike cursed Aztec gold. Unfortunately they do not help me to answer questions but they are a great way to pass the time. Now, Josie on the other hand, the intrepid librarian and truth teller witch has a rare gift and an even rarer relationship with books. Ms. Sanders does a superb job of giving not only Josie but all of the characters a  sense of depth. From Josie's need to see justice done, Roz and her romantic side, Lyndon the plant whisperer, Sam with his confounding facial habit, and all of the unique town's folk. Speaking of the locals, they are not only beside themselves, but also star struck that THE Daphne  wants to interview Roz aka about her romance novel. Daphne is a bit much to take, everyone and I do mean everyone is falling over themselves to be near her. Okay, maybe not her staff and not Roz or Josie (who have their own yet similar reasons). Maybe it is this over the top and slightly saccharine personality that causes the angst, angst that leads to murder and a variety of suspects. I was guessing constantly and reformulating my theory as to who did the deed. I also applaud Josie for her wise choices when faced with temptation.  Speaking of something tempting, those potato pancakes sounded so tempting that they are my pairing choice for this book, since I am not a big fan of peach Shnapps and a Cutie Cocktail just sounded way to sweet and cloying, not unlike the  infamous actress Daphne. Is someone out to get her or is it all drama?

I have often heard that authors are given three book contracts, and while this one ended in such a way that it could leave it there, I would REALLY like to visit Josie and the Wildredians again, very soon!