July 2023 Cozy New Releases

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.  

Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant
A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery
Darci Hannah
Kensington Cozies

WOW, this was a harrowing cozy with some nail biting, page turning, reading-with-the-lights-on parts. Oh and some really good recipes! This time the Beacon Bakeshop owned by Lindsey Bakewell plays host to ghost hunters, high school hijinks, and a macabre murder. On the plus side there are recipes for the wonderful sounding baked goods such as pumpkin scones with maple glaze (YUM). A live airing of a ghost hunter group goes terribly wrong and now the bakeshop crew must put away the treats and use all their best tricks to solve this latest mystery. There are plenty of suspects, a fellow teacher, the high school hooligans, oddly reclusive teenagers, the neighbor, and a treasure hunter. There are also plenty of tasty treats and recipes at the end of the story. This edition of the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries comes with happy news and some not so happy news but I don’t want to spoil any of it. 

Death of A Clam Digger
A Hayley Powell Mystery
Lee Hollis
Kensington Publishing Corp.

Romeo and Juliet meets the Hatfields and the McCoys at a clam bake. As usual, we are supplied with a really good mystery that draws you in because you think you know what is going on, but do you really? Then there are the column contributions and wonderful beverage and food recipes. I had no idea there were that many ways to prepare clams. Hayley does a great job of running the restaurant, being a staunch supporter of young love, and keeping her jealousy in check (for the most part). As usual, this is a stand alone cozy mystery, shoot, Hayley didn't know about 's past girlfriend so we are all in that dark about that one. I was quite invested in this story and could not only feel Hayley's emotions but you empathize with her as well. The usual supporting cast of characters, of which I must say, Mona, is one of my favorites. How that woman has any energy is beyond me. A good number of well laid clues as well as a few bait and switch red herrings. I so wish that my choice for the guilty party had been a part of the dastardly deed, but the ending worked out just as well. Looking forward to the next Hayley Powell mystery and appetizing recipes. In the mean time, I will try out the WOW Your Guests Easy Clam Cakes for a weekend treat.  

Pink Lemonade Cake Murder
A Hannah Swenson Mystery
Joanne Fluke
Kensington Cozies

Reading a Hannah Swenson Mystery is like sitting down with an old friend. This is a comfortable cozy series that incorporates murder, mystery, and mouth-watering sweet and savory treats. This newest trip to the Cookie Jar, picks right up from where the last one ended, with Mike contemplating the apathy he now feels for his job. The body drop is a few chapters in, not too far but not right away. The suspects start with Dolores, Hannah’s Mom (as she finds the body) so I guess that Hannah can no longer be teased for being a body magnet. This one takes a different avenue than what I am used to with Mike not being a lead player. The clues were laid out as well as the recipes and the story moves at a quick pace. I am still not a fan of the triangle. It also seems that Bill and crew have become dependent on Hannah as a consultant which is not how I saw the series going. All in all it still delivers on cozy content and great easy to make recipes like the Sweet & Sour Chicken for the crockpot that I plan to make with pork instead of chicken.  

Fatal Groove
The Record Shop Mysteries
Olivia Blacke
St. Martin 

Bluebonnets, blue lips, and men in blue (I am imagining blue).  This is the second in the series but my first time reading and I was thoroughly taken by the three sisters. Juniper aka Juni is a completely relatable character. In fact she is someone you would want to know as well as being your barista. The blue bonnet festival is in high gear and the annual treasure hole digging has lots of participants but not one of them strikes gold or fabled stolen money. What does happen, is that Mayor Bob enjoys a cup of coffee and that is the last thing he does. That coffee came from the Sip & Spin Record’s festival booth belonging to the Jessup sisters; Juni, Tansy, and Maggie. One sister served him the coffee and another found his body. Well that is most unfortunate. The last thing the sisters need is for their new business venture, the Sip & Spin Record shop, to be closed, possibly for good. It turns out that Mayor Bob was hunting for the famous very money from the bank robbery from 1956. He isn’t the only one since it looks like his office is missing a few odd items. Mayor Bob liked to pick up robbery related items from Ebay.  I have always thought that if you can’t find it on Amazon most likely it will show up on Ebay. Unfortunately for Mayor Bob, he isn’t the only treasure hunter and just maybe he found the clue they all needed. Normally the spouse would be the first on the suspect list, but Mrs. Mayor was on an Alaskan Cruise. I went on one of those once and they have the best of everything. Except for coffee, the cruise coffee does not compare to the Sip & Spin offerings.  There are some amazing flavor combination coffee creations and I think that recipes should be included. There are suspects at City Hall as well as local treasure hunters. No one, especially the local police think that the Jessup sisters have anything do with it. After all, Juni is semi-dating the detective Beauregard Russel aka Beau the guy who broke her heart years ago. Juni is also semi-dating Teddy Garza longtime friend. Maggie is team Beau while Tansy is team Teddy. Which brings me to the only part of this series that I am not a fan of is the triangle. I am strictly a straight line person, or rather a one sleuth with one romantic interest. It can be instant attraction, old friends to new love, or even a slow burn between stubborn suitors. I get too angsty over more than one romance because I am almost sure that it won’t end well for someone and I like the HEA (Happy Ever After)  aspects of cozies.

June 2023 New Release 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.  

Hidden Beneath
Maine Clambake Mysteries
Barbara Ross
Kensington

This is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a cold case. You are instantly drawn in by the unexplained and kept on the edge of your seat as Julia hunts down secrets. There are SO many secrets from the past that have an effect on the present and the future, that you have no choice but to be drawn in and enthralled as each clue is uncovered. While this could very well be the last book in the series as there are several loose ends tied up in very pretty bows, there are also some doors closed and windows opened. Julia is an example of a great daughter who is willing to help with the "messy" stuff and the messy stuff. This is a stand-alone cozy so you will not be lost but you will be wanting to start back at book one, if not for the story then for the incredible recipes. The only part of this mystery that is not a mystery is how great the food sounds and tastes, as recipes are included at the conclusion of the story.

A Cornish Seaside Murder
A Nosy Parker Mystery
Fiona Leitch
One More Chapter 

This cozy illustrates that no matter how awesome of a sleuth, a chef, a former London cop, oh and mom (cannot forget the mom part) you cannot do it all at the same time, and do it all well.  Josie Parker is an amazing character as we can certainly see throughout the other books. It has been quiet since Jodie has passed the necessary exams to join the local constabulary as a type of ‘floating’ detective sergeant. That soon changes when Jodie, acting the part of the Penstowan Siren, happens upon a fisherman drowned in a water trough. Upon discovering  the theft of the Stone Mermaid statue from the church, old man Jago Thomas claims that the Mermaid turned vengeful Siren  is back to wreak havoc on the fisherman.   Josie is sure that there is something fishy going on but it doesn’t have anything to do with a missing mermaid statue or a gothic feminist reimagining of the Siren myth.  Instead of having several obvious suspects, the reader has the opportunity to follow clues right along with DS Parker and DI Withers aka Josie and her hot copper boyfriend Nathan. This is a great book for any armchair sleuth and as a plus it comes with a great cookie recipe so you can enjoy some cookies while you are reading to see if Josie can in fact balance it all out between catering for a 100^th birthday party, helping Daisy with her gothic feminist reimaging, detecting with the DI, and staying safe as promised to Daisy and her mum. I give this 5 out of 5 mermaid/sirens.

How the Murder Crumbles
Cookie Shop Mystery
Debra Sennefelder
Crooked Lane Books

This series starter doesn’t waste time with the killings. First chapter has the death of a relationship and chapter two has the body drop. Ouch, Mallory, our marketing maven turned cookie artist, manages to get herself on the suspect list because of a very public, very heated disagreement over the author of the Almond Melt-Away Cookie recipe. So let that be a warning, do not tell someone that they will get what is coming. Plenty of suspects, in fact almost everyone who isn’t a family member or friend that is like a family member was on my list including the reporter. What a tangled web that Queen Bea weaved, she sure wasn’t liked by, well, anyone. The plot is engaging and the clues are laid out nicely. I had no idea until the end because of the red herrings jumping up left and right, plus the inclusion of a second body drop. This was an excellent story that kept me entertained and craving cookies. I am looking forward to trying out the recipes included at the conclusion in both the e-version and the audio. Hopefully the cookies will tied me over until the next Cookie Shop Mystery.

Death Knells and Wedding Bells
A Lighthouse Library Mystery
Eva Gates
Crooked Lane Books

 

The big day goes off as planned for Lucy the lighthouse librarian and her husband mayor/town dentist Connor. The reception has a few hiccups, might be because a few people had a little more to drink than would be prudent, plus a little family drama for added measure. What happens next makes this an interesting mystery as one person is found dead and another has gone missing. The answer seems obvious to one person, the new detective who may or may not be taking over for Sam Watson who is looking to retire. Maybe Detective North is just trying to make a good impression on the management but he sure isn’t doing such a good job with the folks of cozy Outer Banks community. Lucy is doing what she can to keep Connor from worrying about his new bride while at the same time, Lucy trying to do her best to help Birdie and Eddie with this troublesome predicament. The suspects are few but the clues are many but which clues are the right ones? Where did Aunt Joyce find Wayne Fortunado anyway, no one seemed to like him, Aunt Joyce included. The past meets the present and forever changes the future. This one ends with a nail biting, edge of your seat, page turning conclusion that completely surprised me.    

August 2023 Cozy New Releases

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.  

Birder She Wrote
A Meg Langslow Mystery
Donna Andrews
Minotaur Publishing

This isn’t your ordinary story about the birds and the bees. This book is filled with hummingbirds and honeybees, NIMBYs, and a (much) lesser Southern Living magazine, plus a murder. Meg Langslow is one of my all-time favorite cozy protagonists because she has an amazing sense of humor plus ability to be rational and level-headed which probably stems from the fact that she carries a notebook that “tells her when to breathe.”   Did I mention that she has the most unusual job of all the cozy main characters that I have read about, she is a blacksmith. Meg is unlike anyone I have ever known, yet she is completely relatable. The mystery draws you in and the characters keep you turning pages.  Even though I have read this series for years, I would not be lost if this was my first. The back stories are nicely woven in to each and every book and this one is no different. This book was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and an evening, and an afternoon.

A Crime in the Crumbs
A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books

Truly enjoyable as I would give this 5 scones out of 5. This newest Key West Food Critic Mystery brings the Scone Sisters, introduced in the Scone of Contention (book 11) to Key West for a UK Bakeoff in the US challenge. It seems to spiral like a cinnamon roll after their arrival, missing bakeware supplies, a BnB that goes up in flames, contestants who aren't the best bakers, a missing agent, an amazing cook who is dealing with a controlling husband (yep, he is the victim) and Ms. Gloria's over protective sons to round it all out. Hailey is amazing, as usual, and you don't have to be familiar with the series to understand who she is, what she does, and who her friends are. I had an idea of who the guilty party was but the red herrings did make me question myself numerous times, plus the race to the reveal had me on the edge of my seat turning pages just as quickly as possible to get to the whole story. The only thing more satisfying than this mystery is the amazing recipes that are included, which seems only fair since Ms. Burdette has us salivating with the food descriptions found on almost every other page. I for one will be making some yummy garlicky shrimp for dinner tomorrow and cinnamon scones to follow for breakfast the next morning. 

Halloween Cupcake Murder
Kensington Cozies

Much like a candy corn, these stories are short, sweet, and multilayered. Each story has incorporated a cupcake as a main part of the story. These are quick reads or novellas, which whet your appetite for the series that they are taken from. All three stories are stand-alone but you will want to read the other offerings in the various series.

Halloween Cupcake Murder
Carlene O’Connor

Did you know that Halloween or rather its roots were founded in Ireland? Samhain the ancient Druidic observance plays a big part in this mystery. There is also a mysterious Cave of the Cat painting, and a possible coven. What lead to the murder and what does a free cupcake with a key in the center have to do with it. Was it because the antiques store owner was a wheeler-dealer, a card shark, or a crazy old codger?  Expat Tara Mehan is left with the entire estate and she had only met the man the same day he died. If that doesn’t shout “investigate this mystery,” I am not sure what would.

Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper
Liz Ireland

Santa Land and candy corn craziness mixed with cupcakes, but what else would you expect Mrs. Claus to be dealing with. With each new holiday introduction, there seems to be murder and a little bit of Christmas Town chaos.   April Claus will need determine if the death was caused by a woman scorned, a baking betrayal or someone out for candy corn.

A Triple Layer Halloween Murder
Carol J. Perry

An astronaut, a missing baker, and a ginger cat with marmalade feet are the clues that Lee Barrett and husband/detective Pete Mondello have to work with to determine what happened to the local baker and why. Was it due to gambling debts or was there something else going on with his mysterious disappearance that ended in murder.