Rocking Around the Chickadee : A Meg Langslow Mystery by Donna Andrews

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

Rocking Around the Chickadee
A Meg Langslow Mystery
Donna Andrews
Minotaur 

Meet Meg Langslow, lady blacksmith, mother of twin preteens, wife to a drama professor (as in acting not the other sort of drama), assistant to the mayor of Caerphilly, and sometime sleuth. It is Christmas time in Caerphilly and Meg’s grandmother, Cordelia, has organized the Presumed Innocent conference for exonerates and family members of those in jail who may not belong there. This time of the year might seem like an odd time to host an event but it is the season of hope, joy, and love; and isn’t that what exonerates and the wrongly prosecuted are looking for? They certainly aren’t looking for Godfrey Norton, podcaster on a mission to make sure no one ever gets out of jail/prison regardless of innocence. The Gadfly, as Jamie and Josh, Meg’s tween twin sons refer to the contrarian podcaster, most likely registered under an alias so that he stir up trouble and harass the attendees. Thank goodness that Meg is good at heading off problems; she has past experience dealing with sticky situations including murder. So when the Gadfly turns up dead, behind the barn at Meg’s house, she does what she does best, help the Chief to figure out who did it, how they did it, and why they did it. 

 Meg is unlike most amateur sleuths in that she actually stays in her own lane but still manages to get the answers that are needed and she usually manages to do it without putting herself in danger. She is also the most organized amateur sleuth thanks to her notebook that “reminders her when to breath.” Oh and there is the amazing family network that I would LOVE to be adopted into because the Hollingsworths are that amazing and/or entertaining. 

As far as this mystery goes, the suspects are interesting, the victim is over the top obnoxious, the sheriff is meticulous, the twins are helpful, Delaney is about to burst, Kevin is a little smitten, and Meg has everything under control. This is a great series because not only does it entertain and often educate, but it is so good on a book by book basis that you can read them as a stand-alone but you really should take some time to check out the earlier 36 novels.

A Slay Ride Together With You : A Year-Round Christmas Mystery by Vicki Delaney

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

 

A SlayRide Together With You
Year-Round Christmas Mysteries
Vicki Delaney

This is book number 7 in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series. Merry Wilkinson finds herself sleuthing a mystery with Halloween vibes during the Easter season in the Christmas themed town of Rudolph New York. Not to worry, you do not have to be familiar with the series to be able to enjoy the story.

Merry’s BFF is Vicky Casey, a very gifted baker who is engaged to be married to an equally gifted chef named Mark Grosse, and together they purchased the fixer-upper known as the Cole House. Apparently the word around town is that Vicky and Mark must have lost their minds because the place has a sad and possibly cursed history. Not to worry the backstory for the Cole house is included in fact there is plenty of backstory regarding all of the characters to keep you in the loop. In addition to backstory there are some great interactions between characters. There are some truly interesting characters such as Merry’s parents. Her mom, Aline Steiner Wilkinson, is a real diva as in opera diva and a little bit of a regular diva. Noel Wilkinson, her dad, is the official town Santa Clause, complete with real beard and the jolly disposition. Merry takes after her dad a bit more than her mom, which is probably why everyone in town thinks that Merry’s store assistant, Jackie O’Reilly is indulged to the point that she gets delusions of grandeur. In Jackie’s defense, Merry is often running off to ask questions and hunt for clues instead of managing Mrs. Claus’s Treasurers. If it wasn’t for Merry, we the readers would not get to armchair sleuth.

Ms. Delaney does a great job of keeping the reader intrigued and turning pages while trying to reason out who could have killed the sue‑happy and obnoxious Jim Cole, cousin to the former owner of the Cole house. Instead of being able to challenge the will for ownership of the really run down house, he got blunt force trauma. Suspects include Jim’s own daughter whom he had nothing to do with since she was little and he left her mother. There is also an additional ex-wife and a current girlfriend, both of whom are “distraught” that such a financially well off and loving man has been murdered. The only reason Merry is involved is because Mark has a little bit of a temper and was the unfortunate person who found the body.   

The story moved at a good pace and the red herrings were well thought. I was able to figure out the “who” but not the “why.” I also enjoyed the little something extra that both Aline and Jackie add to the story. It might not be Christmas time but this was a great cozy for a year round Christmas town. Be sure to check out the recipes at the end of the story. I am adding the Coconut Sugar Cookies to my holiday baking list. The cookies are both easy to make and tasty to eat.   

A Limited Edition Murder : A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery by Lauren Elliott

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

A Limited Edition Murder
A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery
Lauren Elliot
Kensington

Book number 10 of the Beyond the Page Bookstore series finds main character, Addie Greyborne, in    England, which is not her usual locale. On top of that this is a story within a story and the perfect way for Addie to get herself back into the swing of things. In fact this one reminded me of the Addie at the start of the series. If you haven’t “met” Addie, you should know that she is fiercely loyal and will not back down to anyone, yes that includes Detective Inspectors. She never backed down to the police back in Greyborne Harbor, so she sure isn’t going to start now just because she is on hiatus across the pond.  Speaking of Addie’s hiatus location, Moorscrag, West Yorkshire, is a wonderful place to get away from the crazy (see Dedication to Murder) by taking a month or two or twelve to get perspective and re‑center one’s self.  Addie does miss her besties and her beloved bookstore.

The vacation or escape as some might call it is a great distraction. Working for Mr. Pressman at the Second Chance Books and Bindery book store is a great distraction. The mystery of the long lost Bronte book/engagement gift/recovery is a great distraction. Finding a body that is missing a priceless necklace is a great distraction. Addie might be in England and the land of Sherlock Holmes but I got the feeling that she was channeling some Poirot and was making good use of those little grey cells. As I said, this is a story with a story because there are multiple threads running through this story with the reappearance of Lord Bentley’s missing first and quite limited edition of Wuthering Heights. So we have a story from the past that intersects with a murder in the present. Addie is on the hunt for clues and while he might not like it, DI Noah Parker has to respect Addie’s ability to find those crumbs that turn into clues. Addie just has a way about her that gets people to open up. It might also help that she is not a copper. Addie swears that she is just looking into what happened to the book from the past and how it ended up in a thrift store.  

Addie is the sort of character that you find yourself drawn to. Her emotions are almost palpable and will have you tearing up, laughing out loud, rolling your eyes, audibly sighing, and turning page after page. The interactions of the characters are natural and the story flows even with the backstory and interwoven subplots. I did not figure out the whole mystery but I was able to dodge a few of the red herrings to figure out who the culprit was. A Limited Edition was a great next chapter but the ending has me apprehensive, Lauren Elliott sure does a great job leaving us wanting more. She also left me wanting lemon tea cakes after Addie and Paige met with Mrs. Fenton for tea and clues so I looked up a recipe and made some.

Madrigals and Mayhem : The Cambridge Bookshop by Elizabeth Penney

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

Madrigals and Mayhem
Cambridge Bookshop
Elizabeth Penney
Minotaur Books

Book four of the Cambridge Bookshop series starts out with Molly Kimball decorating the Thomas Marlowe – Manuscripts and Folios bookstore for the Christmas holiday. Taking her inspiration from the dollhouse at the Pemberly Toy Shop down the street, Molly makes a display of dollhouse related books. Dolls figure prominently in this cozy mystery, from a VERY rare Madame Alexander to the story book, Charlotte’s Dollhouse, which we get to read right along with Molly. Interestingly enough, Charlotte is the name of the girl who has inherited the Pemberly Toy Shop. Not only did Charlotte’s grandad leave Charlotte the shop but also a scavenger hunt that is supposed to lead to the rare Madame Alexander doll. In addition to the scavenger hunt there are a few poisonings, some toxic relationships, an engagement, a Madrigal song experience, a little mayhem, and a happy ending. 

Molly is an American of many talents who has joined her English mom and great aunt in running the family bookstore located in Cambridge, England. Things to know about Molly, she can research books and help run the family bookstore, she can think fast on her feet especially when asking tricky questions, and she apparently she can sing quite well. Molly is also a fast friend as demonstrated by her desire to help Charlotte not even an hour after meeting her. Poor Molly has a broad of vipers for a family, well a stepfamily of vipers, and they aren’t even that nice to each other. 

Elizabeth Penney has done a superb job of creating such unlikeable people that you instantly empathize with Charlotte and can’t wait to see how Molly will get to the bottom of the shenanigans. Shenanigans that include break-ins and messing with the toy store dollhouse. Molly knows that Detective Inspector Sean Ryan is more than capable of hunting down the clues and getting the bad guy, but Molly can’t help it if she seems to always be in the right place at the right time. Molly has the ability to pay close attention and she notices things, things that most people don’t notice. It is this attention to detail that has helped Molly in the past (I can attest to how enjoyable the previous books are) to solve more than one mystery.

Between the hidden doll mystery and the murder mystery you can’t help but to keep turning the pages of this holiday who-done-it that takes place in this picturesque English town. The clues are well laid out and the misdirection had me second and third guessing. The only thing missing is the recipe for Daisy’s cranberry white chocolate scone.

I'll Be Home For Mischief - A Christmas Tree Mystery by Jaqueline Frost

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

I’ll BeHome For Mischief
Christmas Tree Farm Mystery
Jaqueline Frost
Crooked Lane Books 

It is Christmas time in the iconic town of Mistletoe as the residents make preparations to celebrate their 150^th anniversary and attempt to make a Guinness World Record worthy gingerbread man to weigh in at more than one thousand three hundred and eight pounds and eight ounces. I bet you will never guess where the body drop takes place.

Our sleuth is Holly Gray nee White, newlywed to the town’s sheriff, and inn keeper on her family’s Christmas tree farm known as the Reindeer Games Tree Farm. This season finds Holly being her usual busy self, with Christmas cards from the Tree Farm to be mailed, jewelry orders to be filled, the annual toy donations to be wrapped oversee Reindeer Games, and see to the needs of the important inn guests to be seen taken care of Evan who has a habit of doing amazing things and giving amazing gifts is ready for their big day. So obviously Holly couldn’t possibly have time to hunt down clues, make suspect lists, question people, and possibly irritate the murderer.

I think that this is the most harrowing book in the series yet in terms of Holly being threatened and she even remarks multiple times that Evan is going to have a stroke if not multiples strokes. Holly says that she isn’t going to investigate…at first. Holly has a strong desire to see justice for Elijah Snow even if he was arrogant but not she refuses to entertain the idea that Henry Moore could be a possible suspect. Who could possibly be a suspect since the Snows weren’t in town for even 24 hours before Elijah’s demise? I have no idea how Holly has the energy to sleuth, she is going all over town and even with her special parking spot (made me laugh out loud) I would be exhausted. She isn’t even supposed to be asking questions, she told her parents and Evan that she wasn’t going to get involved. At least that is how the story started out.

In Holly’s defense, everyone seems to be goading her into investigating, except for her mom, dad, and hubby Evan. Cookie tantalizes people including Holly, with some choir group gossip that includes a brief history lesson with a Romeo and Juliet angle. Don’t even get me started about the podcasters who pair murder with recipes and have nicknamed Holly the Gumdrop Gumshoe. Are they helping or hurting? I am not sure but what I do know is that they are driving Holly crazy which is reason enough to end up on her suspect list.  

This is a wonderfully entertaining holiday cozy that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. It also has you craving sweet treats with such wonderful descriptions of seasonal sweets of all types. I am definitely looking forward to my next trip to Mistletoe and the Reindeer Games Tree Farm. Now I think I will go and make some Christmas cookies. P.S. check out the author name, Jack Frost!

Death at a Scottish Christmas - A Scottish Isle Mystery by Lucy Connelly

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

Death at a Scottish Christmas
A Scottish Isle Mystery
Lucy Connelly
Crooked Lane Books 

It is Christmas time on the Sea Isle, one of the Scottish Islands and doctor Emilia McRoy is off for the entire month. Em hasn’t had Christmas off in years much less an entire month. What is she going to do to keep busy? Thank goodness Mara, best friend and manager of the Pig & Whistle, has plenty for Em to do in the way of festivities. Jasper, friend and owner of a local bakery, says that December is an entire month of cultural events and after all, Scots love a party. The last thing that Em figured she would be doing is an autopsy and helping to solve a murder. Big time band Bram and the Stokers have agreed to play at the Pig & Whistle. It turns out that lead singer Bram and band member Render (also known as Hamish) are local boys who have made it good. Bram is a charismatic lead singer who sang beautifully, was easy on the eyes, and such the charmer. It is a pity that someone ended his life earlier than necessary; in fact he did not have much time left. 

This cozy is sweet and a tiny bit tart, just like Cathan, the multi layered Scottish dessert that Em enjoys at the pub the night that the band played their last, and most amazing set. The entire band and the band’s manager Davy, agreed that the last set was magical and the all agree that they have no idea who could have killed Bram. So of course that means that the each band member is a suspect, especially Destinee, the only woman in the band who may have had feelings for Bram, feelings that weren’t taken seriously. The band manager, Davy, seems a bit cold and even Machiavellian with his ideas of how the band can continue to tour with Bram’s voice dubbed in for performances. Lastly, it seems that the Laird, Mayor, and constable, Ewan Campbell had history with Bram that included some infidelity on the part of Ewan’s then fiancée. No one believes that Ewan has anything to do with the murder, especially not the Doc, ask Ewan likes to call her, but with such a high profile case, the higher ups send Detective Inspector Bethany Thompson, to make sure the investigation is 100% by the book. 

This is another well written Scottish Isle Mystery that does a great job as a stand-alone. There is plenty of backstory to explain, for the most part, why Doc Em has left Seattle and taken up as the resident doctor on Sea Isle, Scotland. Em needed to start over and she has found a new place that feels like home. Em has friends who are there for her. They are there to help investigate, although Em repeatedly states that she is only investigating the medical side of things …right (said in a drawn out way). In addition to great friends, there is the back and forth between Em and Ewan that has all the makings of a slow burn. This cozy series has all the cozy feels and an accent that is really fun to try and replicate in my mind while reading. The one thing that I was successful in creating is the Cathan recipe which was as enjoyable as this story. 

The Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

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

The Gardener’s Plot
Deborah J. Benoit
Minotaur Books

This is a great series starter and well titled with a main character is a master gardener named Maggie/Margaret Walker. Maggie finds herself back in her hometown after 15 years, to settle her Gramma’s estate which included purchasing the family home where she spent so much of her life. While there was an offer on the house, Gramma’s heirs had right of first refusal and Maggie couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Maggie wasn’t the only one who wanted the house; annoying Cousin Simon and shiftless wheeler dealer Carl Henderson have been more difficult than invasive weeds each badgering her to sell for different reasons. Thankfully, Violet Bloom is keeping Maggie busy as her assistant for the city community park project. Maggie has never been busier, what with the disappearance of Violet, the death of Carl Henderson, and the endless nagging calls and certified letters from Cousin Simon. The other troublesome problem in the cozy town of Marlowe is that gossip is a major league sport and Catherine Walker is a heavy hitter. We have no idea why Catherine has such a strong aversion to Maggie but the past romantic high school history that Maggie shares with police Chief Sam Whitaker aka Catherine’s husband, doesn’t help.  

As I said, this mystery is well titled between the body drop location (a plot spot in the community garden) and the plotting that the killer must have done throughout the story to achieve their goals. At least they tried. The story does a great job of keeping you guessing and hoping against hope.  I was hoping that Cousin Simon would give it a rest. There is humor, angst, a smidge of sassiness, a touch of sarcasm, and some ride or die friendship. This was a great series starter; at least I hope it is a starter and that there are more in the works. An entertaining cozy it is also educational with some great gardening tips right alongside of the clues that are sewn into the story.

Six Stunning Sires - A Kitchen Witch Mystery by Lynn Cahoon

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

Six Stunning Sirens
A Kitchen Witch Mystery
Lynn Cahoon
Kensington 

A beauty pageant that takes competition to the next level but it isn’t the girls who you have to look out for…it’s the magical moms. Mystic Springs is a little different than most towns in Idaho, and Mia is a little different than most chefs. The one thing that they both have in common is magic. The town has a coven of witches and a few not so into the coven scene, like Mia, who is a kitchen witch. The main characteristic about being a kitchen witch is being a purveyor of peace. Mia has that talent in spades at least when it comes to anything or anyone with the exception of her boss Frank at the Lodge, oh and her cheating ex-fiancé, Isaac. Mia is a great character that does a great job of following the leads, juggling job and business, making time for boyfriend Trent, and being a big sister to bff Christina. The story is engaging, the clues are good, the food descriptions are amazing and the misdirection is well staged. 

Mia’s only reason for working at the Lodge is to keep her catering dream, Mia’s Morsels, alive until it can thrive on its own. One would think that getting the Miss Magic Springs Harvest Pageant job would be a windfall and a blessing. Believe it or not, in an effort to avoid getting the contract for the pageant, Abigail, Trent’s mom, submitted an outrageous price on the opportunity to play host. No such luck, the pageant officials like that they won’t be dealing with a mortal company. There still ends up being issues, hexes that bounce back, a murder, a mystery that involves the past, and a couple of couple issues. The big payout for handling the pageant catering and location could be enough money to get Mia out from under Frank’s thumb at the Lodge. That man is out to get her for no apparent reason, causing Mia more stress than she needs. You know what is good for stress, comfort food. The best sort of comfort food is nice warm soup like the chicken noodle soup that Mia had prepped and ready in the freezer. Incidentally, the recipe is in the back of the book so you too can have a little comfort. Another bit of comfort is learning that there will be more books to this series because there are some big changes coming up for Mia and the gang. I am looking forward to the next books in the series.  

In the Blink of a Pie : A Maple Syrup Mystery by Catherine Bruns

 

In the Blink of a Pie
A Maple Syrup Mystery
Catherine Bruns
Poisoned Pen Press 

Welcome to Vermont’s own Sappy Endings maple syrup farm, where the syrup is sweet and the pastries are perfect. Well, at least the tasty treats that Leila’s talented cook of a mom, Selma, bakes at the Sappy Hour Café. This is the 3^rd book in the Maple Syrup Mystery series and it has been perfectly named. In the blink of a Pie/eye the well-earned reputation of the Sappy Endings farm goes from great to deadly because of a killer pie baking contest. Leila, manager of her family’s farm was just trying to do a good deed and generate some revenue for the local food bank. No one could have could have foreseen the community backlash due to an unexpected death that turns out to be murder. It does not help that the local paper where her brother Simon is the lead journalist, has printed an article sensationalizing the unfortunate incident. This isn’t Simon’s doing but he cannot stop the rumor mill in this small cozy town. If only gossip was as slow as the molasses in a Shoofly pie. Did they not get the email that this was really an attempt on Leila’s life and not someone out to get Margaret Middleton.  Although, I could see how one could think that Margaret, with her acerbic tongue, could incite negative thoughts or even actions, in others. Someone is out to get Leila.    

 This stand-alone story does a good job of keeping the reader in the loop by giving plenty of backstory to explain how this is not Leila’s first time dealing with a murder. Leila takes on the management of the farm while at the same time getting to know and coming to love farm worker Noah and his daughter Emma.  Leila and her best friend Heather start looking for clues in a variety of places. Suspects include a past high school student who was turned in for cheating. Also on the list, is Leila’s former college roommate who was in trouble for stealing money from Leila to buy drugs. Margaret’s own son Eric, the big city New York attorney is threatening to sue the farm for his mother’s death. Eric may still be upset with Leila for not agreeing to date him in the past. Last but not least is the mysterious pie baker named Sandy Sweets, who could in fact be one of the aforementioned suspects. 

As you can see there are multiple threads for Leila to pull while trying to keep from safe. The story is engaging as well as entertaining. The clues are well placed as are the red herrings. In addition to a happy ending the book also delivers on some sweet and satisfying pie recipes. There are six recipes to choose from and I selected the Pumpkin Spice Maple Pie and can attest that is perfect for pairing with this Thanksgiving themed cozy.

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

Stick and Scones : A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander

Sticks and Scones
A Bakeshop Mystery
Ellie Alexander
Minotaur Books

Ellie Alexander has created another great Bakeshop Mystery cozy with well-crafted characters and recipes. All of the core characters have a heart like Jules, but only Lance has panache and a dash of devil-may-care making Lance the perfect person to head up an acting troupe. In addition to being the artistic director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and head of his new production company the Fair Verona Players, Lance is Jules partner in crime solving. In addition to Jules and Lance there is the Torte team which is one great big family. Then there are the other characters such as the victim who is an egomaniac but when on stage, he is one heck of an actor, as well as Tom the investor who is an insufferable wine snob with one too many opinions that he can’t seem to keep to himself. To round it out there is a drab seamstress, a love struck stage assistant, and more than a few people who are not necessarily sad that the understudy is stepping in. Know who else is stepping in? Lance goes straight into investigatory mode and while he doesn’t drag Jules, he gently tugs her into joining him. The story holds your interest and character interactions do a great job of eliciting emotions. For example, I literally rolled my eyes when Jules has the “opportunity” to interact with Tom at the local pub. Other times I found myself chuckling over Lance’s comments about morning jogging. Last but not least is the sighing brought on by the way Carlos tends to Jules when she is feeling a little “off.”

Every Bakeshop Mystery comes with descriptions of the most amazing foods woven into the story and this time is no different. There are mentions of chicken salad, cherry based sweet treats, barbecue chicken cups, tahini cookies, and strawberry scones. There are recipes at the end of the story and I can confirm that the scones are as easy to make as they are tasty.  I certainly hope that this isn’t the last one, there is still so much more for Jules to do and so many changes on the horizon. Reading about her personal growth has been educational and enjoyable.

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. 

Death Scene : A Witch City Mystery by Carol J. Perry

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. 

Death Scene
A Witch City Mystery
Carol Perry
Kensington 

Tinsel town comes to Spooky town and Lee Barrett Mondello is ready to don her reporter hat for WICH‑TV news and solve the mystery of the starlet who was murdered by designer chocolates. Darla Diamond was quite the actress and had the ability to play the part of a witch both on and off the screen, just ask her costar Lamar Faraday. Faraday seems like a nice enough guy but maybe even he could be driven to do something rash, like making a $1000 bet that he could hit every single bar in Salem during his stay.  Then there are the death threats, but those seemed to have stopped when the left the west coast. The one thing that was not left behind was the odd accidents that seem to plague Paragon Productions. Lee gets a chance to do a little reporting as a result of those accidents in addition to her program director job and has some great luck when it comes to learning things from the gossip network aka Jenna’s hair salon. Thanks to the salon and locals who are in the know, it seems that Lee is getting a jump on details before her husband Pete, a detective with the Salem police either hasn’t released or had not learned just yet. Lee finds some clues in the most unusual places. Even River who is acting as a body double for Darla/Pauline has heard things. River has also seen things in the tarot cards and helped Lee with a little dream interpretation. Lee is a “scryer” which means that she can see things in shiny surfaces, which is like a day dream. Pete has often told Lee that she would make an excellent detective and fully supports the exchange of information. This is another great Witch City Mystery and just in time for Halloween. I have always wanted to visit Salem but after reading this one, I am pretty sure that I will not be going in October. This was a great story with plenty of misdirection and clues to keep me guessing. There are even some great recipes at the conclusion of the story.

The Little Lost Library : A Secret, Book, and scone Society Novel by Ellery Adams

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. 

The Little Lost Library
A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel
Ellery Adams 

This is book seven and the best Secret, Book, and Scone Society book yet. Be prepared for a cozy that hits hard and tackles real world problems like trauma, relationships ending, bullies, sadness, and solidarity. On the lighter side, I was completely captivated by the treasure hunt for the little lost library. Oh and the quotes at the start of each chapter are so thought provoking, my favorite was the one by Maya Angelou at the start of chapter four regarding knowing your own worth. Nora Pennington has such a good heart, she looks for the good in others, and is a friend through thick and thin. She cries over the loss that others feel, she is one who is empathic even for those who are hurting to the point that they lash out at others, much like Lucille‘s daughter. Propelled by an insatiable curiosity to solve the riddle of the book, she takes chances and works secretly to complete the task which NSNS has set in front of her. I am surprised that the side issues are not distracting her more, what with an unidentifiable teen taking a five finger discount and the crazy K9 cop aka Hollowell the horrible (my nickname for her) being her usually charming self (said with sarcasm) combative with women, flirty with her male coworkers, all while prowling around after Hester’s boyfriend, officer Jasper Andrews.

This story was a page turner keeping my attention the entire time while my emotions ran amok. Parts of the story are sweet like the mantecada muffins that Sheldon made, while other parts are bitter and hard to take like the background history and Lucille’s reason for becoming a recluse hoarder. The clues were well placed for each of the plot lines and the red herrings kept me guessing. The only mystery that we are left with at the end is the story behind Hollowell and why she acts the way she does. 

A Berry Suspicious Death : A Cranberry Cove Mystery by Peg Cochran

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. 

A Berry Suspicious Death
The Cranberry Cover Mysteries #9
Peg Cochran
Beyond the Page Publishing

This is the 9^th book in the series and it starts out with Monica‘s half-brother Jeff getting married at the Sassamanash cranberry farm. Everything starts out joyous and thankfully the happy couple is on their way to their honeymoon before the body is found by our sleuth. Monica had only just met Jolie Spencer when her talented baker/employee Mick introduced her as his wife…Monica didn’t even know he was dating. Guess who ends up at the top of the suspect list when Jolie turns up dead? As usual, our sleuth feels compelled to look into things because she just can’t imagine Mick killing anyone.  Mick hasn’t exactly been 100% truthful with Monica but a being a killer is not one of the things he is hiding. It turns out that Jolie is a recent widow who had a rather well off and much older husband, whom she had met while working as his health aide while he was terribly sick. He died not long after they were married leaving behind Jolie and his two adult daughters. One can imagine what the adult daughters think about their now rich stepmom.  Thus the plot thickens like a nice soup you might find at the Pepper Pot, and excellent restaurant who Monica often goes for dinner with husband or lunch with a friend. Another possible suspect is Jolie’s daughter who is not as well off as Jolie, in fact she is struggling financially and works at a seedy bar to make ends meet. Monica having recently become a mom herself, does a pretty good job of balancing “new mom” responsibilities with hunting down clues. She even takes time to get in a little exercising with Jeff’s mom, Gina. The visits to the fitness facility lead Monica down an entirely different rabbit hole...and perhaps another suspect as well.  The story has you guessing and second guessing with well laid clues and tricky red herrings. In addition to an engaging and entertaining mystery you also have a great seasonal bread recipe using fresh cranberries, bananas, and walnuts waiting for you at the conclusion of the story.

The Stranger in the Library: A Lighthouse Library Mystery #11

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. 

The Stranger in the Library
A Lighthouse Library Mystery #11
Eva Gates
Crooked Lane Books

Lucy and Connor are back from their European honeymoon that was full of amazing works of art. Art that gives inspiration to Lucy as she curates an ancillary exhibit coincide with a traveling art exhibit.

The pre-event event is a hit with the locals, library patrons, and out of town guests. Maybe too big of hit since a family reproduction is stolen then returned but with the backing ripped. The following night the traveling art installation coordinator is found dead in the fish pond. Suspects include a grouchy local artist named Ivan, the personal assistant who make have been on the verge of being fired, an art patron, the wife who is an ice queen, and the mysterious art dealer Tom Reilly (if that really is his name). Instead of the usual sleuthing, Lucy researches the history behind Louise Jane’s famous Outer Bank artist ancestor Robert O’Callaghan who may have died from a horrible accident or something more sinister. Could it be possible that the two occurrences could be related? Lucy helps Detective Sam Watson with a few informal interviews but otherwise she is pretty “hands off” this time. She does keep her eyes and ears open, especially when art patron Lisa McMahon’s somewhat spoiled daughter Franny is talking. That girl sees plenty and knows how to keep a person talking without giving things away. Chances are that it is because Franny likes drama. The one who tends towards bits/fits of drama is Louise Jane but she and Lucy work together quite well. It could be because Louise Jane is in a rather good mood throughout the story, almost giddy. 

This story has all the cozy feels and is does a good job as a stand- alone, complete with red herrings and plenty of clues for both the sleuth and reader to follow. I enjoyed the mystery and the description of all things Outer Banks which makes a person want to grab a towel and hit the beach. Or perhaps plan a trip to Paris to see the wonderful works of art at a museum or small art gallery co-owned by a mysterious stranger. I am looking forward to reading all about Louise Jane's trip in the next Lighthouse Library Mystery. 

A Very Woodsy Murder : A Golden Motel Mystery by Ellen Byron

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. 

A Very Woodsy Murder : A Golden Motel Mystery #1
Ellen Byron
Kensington Publishing Corp. 

The Golden motel is a hidden treasure nestled in the Sierra foothills, a respite for sitcom writer Dee Stern and her data analyst ex-husband Jeff Cornetta.  Neither have hospitality services experience but are giving it a go as budding moteliers in the rustic mountain setting. Unfortunately, the motel isn’t the only thing that is in the woods and no I not referring to Stoney the bear.  This was not how Dee saw her new venture going, nothing like finding the dead body of your first guest, writer Michael Adam Baker. Dee remembers Michael Allen as being the most devious backstabbing writer whom she ever had the displeasure of working with. There goes that Yelp review he was holding over their heads. The suspects are plentiful, was it someone from Michael’s past in Goldgone or someone from his present. The guy was no prince and while some(one) might have heralded him as a “son” of Goldgone there were plenty of people who had nothing good to say about him. 

Ellen Byron has done it again, created another awesome cozy mystery. Ms. Byron has a flair for creating characters that are characters. From the Goldsgone Mercantile and Emporium owner named Verity Donner - yes that Donner Gillespie to Elmira Williker the Foundgold shop owner who can’t bake but is one heck of a cook plus she’s the Mayor. There is also the extremely helpful older couple Ma’am and her husband, Mister Ma’am who live a stone’s throw from the Golden and sort of come and go out of nowhere. My favorite character by far is Serena Finlay-Katz, wife to a big time Hollywood agent and the creator of amazing charcuterie snacks. The funny thing about Serena, you just never know if she is carrying the baby in the sling and the dog in carriage or the other way around. Thankfully there is a “Who’s Who” at the front of the book to help keep the players straight. There are quite a few colorful characters, heck I don’t think there is a single ordinary person out of either town. 

This cozy does a great job of keeping you entertained and intrigued. Each new character adds another layer of enjoyment and suspicion as the clues mount and the red herrings are running up stream. By the end of this well spun yarn you will find yourself craving trail mix and down home cooking while considering how to work “tarnation” into your next sentence. Even though this isn’t technically a culinary cozy, there are some mighty fine vittles mentioned in the book and I am glad to see that there are recipes in the back. I tried out the Cowboy Casserole which was both simple and delicious. I am looking forward to the next installment and recipes.

A Smoking Bun: A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander

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.  

A Smoking Bun: A Bakeshop Mystery
Ellie Alexander
St. Martin’s Press

A post-Christmas visit with Carlos’s family has Jules both excited and slightly nervous. I am not sure how she pulls it all together but I sure do like Jules’s attitude toward the visitors/new family. I started reading this series halfway in and have really enjoyed the story arc and how much Jules has changed the way she looks at things. She has learned that change happens and sometime it is hard but usually it is needed and it is good. For example, so much has changed since she returned to Ashland. The Torte bakeshop is doing gangbusters and the folks that work that are quite a gang. Actually, they are more like family. They are a well-oiled machine the way they work together, laugh together, build a jump dummy together…and so the mystery begins. The victim, Fitz Baskin, was a rather rude and unscrupulous person and was obviously up to no good. Unfortunately barista extraordinaire Andy’s good friend, Ski Patrol Shawn, is number 1 on the suspect list. Andy can’t help himself but to ask Jules to look into things. Not that Lance needs an invitation to get himself and Jules involved. I am actually surprised that given the cold weather and Lance's flair for the dramatic that he doesn't take to donning a deerstalker caps and get to investigating. 

Suspects include an eco-activist, an auditor, the lodge owner who is working hard to keep the historic family run mountain lodge going, and tenacious tour guide. Jules has hosting duties and bakes to be baked, when is she supposed to find time to sleuth? The situation is chilly but the mystery and the food is hot. Yummy dishes and desserts are described in detail and also found at the back of the book. I chose to make the Chicken and Chickpea Buns recipe and can report back that they are easy to make as the perfect meal for a chilly day. The story is like a well groomed slope but be careful that the red herrings don't lead you off the path and into the trees. There is more to this mystery than just a dead obnoxious opportunist. A great read with great descriptive food scenes that are thankfully followed up with recipes at the end. I am looking forward to the next Bakeshop Mystery. 

One of You : A Tower District Mystery by Lorie Lewis Ham

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.  

One of You: A Tower Mystery
Tower District Mysteries Book 2
Lorie Lewis Ham
Kings River Life

Tower District Fresno is a place of culinary delights, entertaining esthetics, and murder. Well what did you expect, it is Mysteryfest so of course there is going to be a murder mystery but one would never have expected it to be the Queen of Cozy, that’s right the Queen of Cozy is dead…in Fresno. What started out as a MysteryFest has become a MurderFest and the Tower District’s newest resident, Roxi Carlucci, is going to help find out why. This is the second book in the Tower District Mystery Series and I think that it is every bit as good as the series starter if not better. Book two picks up with Roxi helping her friend Clark to get his bookshop ready for Mysteryfest and the authors of Bradford Publishing, namely Marilyn Bradford the Queen of Cozy.  Everyone liked Marilyn; the same cannot be said about her husband Edward, the owner of Bradford Publishing. Many people were surprised that Edward wasn’t the victim and while he makes for a perfect suspect, he has a really good alibi and an ability to act. 

This is an engaging story full of surprises and unique events that capture your attention with the introduction of each suspect and the secrets they carry. Did Marilyn know those secrets; was her "tell-all" book going to tell all about her fellow authors? The Tower Gossip Twitter account has been hacked and is up and running again adding fuel to the fire and anyone can be a target, even Roxi. How is it that the Tower Gossip is either in step with or a step ahead of Roxi and Stephan? How can Nathan still seem so perfect? There are some serious plot twists that keep you guessing a little like trick or treat, it is Halloween after all.  

This is a great continuation of the series starter but it can be read as a stand-alone. Roxi does a great job helping with both the MysteryFest and the investigation, while also taking care of the furries, being sure to grab great tasting food, brainstorm with best bud Lucas, engage in a little cosplay Camelot style, and hanging out with Clark (she still isn’t looking to start a relationship). As with the first story, the characters are diverse, relatable, and engaging.  I look forward to the next installment and will be trying a glass of Orange Up in the meantime. 

One of Us: A Tower Mystery
Tower District Mysteries Book 1
Lorie Lewis Ham
Kings River Life

I have never had a desire to visit Fresno, even when I lived in the Sacramento area and was somewhat close to the town. After I finished the book I went and looked up the Fresno Tower District and now I am considering adding it to my “cozy mystery destination” list. The food and art deco buildings are just a small part of what makes this mystery so good. The main character, Roxi is a children’s book author who has been dropped by her publisher. Unable to afford the California coast she concedes to move to Fresno and live with her cousin Stephan. Roxi and Stephan are family lower “f” and they are part of a Family with a capital “F” (as in Mob Family). Stephan, having turned his back on the Family business, has his own investigation business and happily extends an offer of employment. In addition he also gets Roxi a volunteer position at the local theater. Roxi has back stage access to the show and the drama but a front row seat to the murder, a most mysterious murder because the victim was so quiet and unassuming that no one could have possibly had a motive for murder.

 Roxi is inquisitive, smart, sassy, sensitive, relatable, and perfect for the role of amateur sleuth. Did I mention that she has a unique pet, a Dumbo rat (yep had to look that up as well).  Another unique aspect to this story is the Tower Gossip website and Tower Gossip Twitter account. Tower Gossip parallels the once popular TV series Gossip Girl, complete with a mysterious figure who seems to know all and teases with bits of details to create gossip and drama. Slightly less mysterious is the cast of suspects who have something to hide. There is a director who is regular Jekyll & Hyde during rehearsals, a dark and complicated writer, the dog walker has to be included because of the murder weapon, a leading man who is too perfect, and an art academy owner who may be in financial turmoil.  In between trips to wonderful sounding eateries

The story draws you in and includes real emotions and real family crisis subjects such as being bipolar and suicide. The clues are easy enough to follow and the red herrings are convincing enough to lead you astray. This is an excellent start to a new series.

Rhythm and Clues: The Record Shop Mysteries by Olivia Blacke

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.  

Rhythm and Clues
The Record Shop Mysteries
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Olivia Blacke

Little did Juni know that by accepting free hockey tickets in a private booth that she would be getting herself involved in another murder mystery. The tickets didn’t come with strings, just a sales pitch from over aged frat boy Zach Fjord of Fjord Capital. Zack Fjord and Savannah Goodwin of Fjord Capital contact make an offer of financial backing that would take control away from the sisters, and supposedly give them peace of mind and capital for growth. Peace of mind is a great thing to have, and the sisters have worked hard to get Sip & Spin Records up and going so when the rain storm gets worse, Tansy and Juni grab Daffy the cat and sandbag the doorways to protect their product. That’s when they see car lights followed by sounds of a car crash. It starts to get really mysterious when the sisters find a crashed car with no driver and a dead Zach Fjord in the passenger seat.

Juni can’t help herself, she just feels that Savannah needs her help to find out what happened the night of the storm. There are several suspects some business and some personal. Turns out that Zach had a way with the ladies but not so much way with the finances. Not everyone was happy with their partnership arrangements with Fjord Capital. Juni does the usual poking into things when she isn’t making coffee and selling records. She ruffles feathers and asks questions that made people uneasy. Juni is a fun character to read, quick witted and with a good heart. So good that she has the attention of two men and she doesn’t want to hurt either of them. I am not a fan of the multiple suitors for the sleuth and am happy to say that Juniper makes a decision. The story kept my attention and the light-heartedness kept me chuckling. I look forward to the next trip to Cedar River, Texas and the Sip & Spin Records shop.

Crime and Cherry Pits: An Organic Cozy Mystery -Farm to Table Mysteries #4 by Amanda Flowers

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.  

Crime and Cherry Pits: An Organic CozyMystery
Farm to Table Mysteries #4
Amanda Flowers 

It is time for the Traverse City Cherry Festival and an opportunity for Shiloh Bellamy to show off what the Organic Bellamy Farm of Cherry Glenn has to offer. Shiloh’s incredibly talented assistant/farm director Chesney Stevens has created a booth that is sure to be memorable since it looks like a giant berry basket overflowing with cherries and stocked full of amazing cherry baked goods and soap. The other memorable thing about this festival is the death of Dane Fullbright at the cherry pit spitting contest. The death makes her cousin Stacey a prime suspect and a prime target for town gossip. 

Stacey and Shiloh are on the outs because of an inheritance issue and newly found fortune in stocks left over from book 2 (In Farm’s Way). They need each other in more ways than one if Stacey is going to get off of the suspect list under the description of “woman scorned.”    What with the very public and loud disagreement and the words “over my dead body” were heard. Stacey says she didn’t know that Dane Fullbright was married so maybe his wife had it with his philandering ways? This is borderline LA style drama, something that Shiloh is familiar with having been in Hollywood TV production. Shiloh’s dad isn’t helping things and seems to be a rather cantankerous individual who could be a bit more supportive of the hard work that Shiloh put into making the farm functional.

Shiloh has her hands full working the booth, searching for clues, asking questions, making baked goods, running errands, and keeping her eyes and ears open. Thankfully, Chesney fully supports the side sleuthing while BFF Kristy is less supportive and more worried about Shi’s safety, while the handsome and smart Sheriff Milan Penbrook knows better than to disregard Shiloh’s ability to get people to talk. Unlike Quinn Killian, EMT and almost love interest, but he can’t seem to make up his mind between the ghosts of the past and the promise of a great future which means he might have missed his chance.

 There are plenty of suspects for Shiloh to follow-up with. Was Dane murdered for tenure like his wife Lily says? Maybe he sweet talked one too many ladies since there are several who make good suspects, such as Lily his wife. He was a bit of a shyster maybe there is one or more persons mad because they were burned by a “fundraiser” he oversaw. You won’t be able to stop turning pages as Shiloh does her thing with and sometimes without back-up. 

This story has some sweet and some tart moments which make Shiloh relatable and someone whom you want to see happy and successful. I look forward to seeing what she does next and hopefully there will be some yummy cherry related recipes in the next installment.

The Grim Steeper : A Witches' Brew Mystery Book 3 by Gretchen Rue

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.  

The Grim Steeper
A Witches Brew Mystery #3
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books 

This time The Earl’s Study tea and bookshop has gone to the birds. Phoebe Winchester, store owner, sometime sleuth, and newish witch, is hosting bird enthusiast and author, Sebastian Marlow for one of his book tour stops.  Sebastian aka the Backyard Bird Man considered an expert birder who is easy on the eyes, has a huge announcement to make during his upcoming author event at Phoebe‘s books store.  So of course he ends up being the victim. Everyone loved Sebastian, or seemed to love him so why was he murdered? Like all good cozy sleuths, Phoebe has a need to find out the “who” and the” why.” 

I am not sure how Phoebe finds time to look for clues and ask questions. Most of her time is divided up between baking amazing sourdough bread from a homemade starter (refer to book 2 Death of a Thousand Sips), running the bookstore, (maybe) dating a dark-haired private investigator, and worrying about her magic acting wonky and unpredictable. It’s that last part, the magic acting wonky that could lead to a sticky situation, people aren’t used to seeing things floating and Phoebe’s witchy abilities are on the down low. The town has one other witch, Phoebe’s friend Honey, who can read runes but cannot offer a clear path for the mystery or guidance on what Phoebe needs to do for her magic.     

Suspects include the former manager and best friend who was “let go” the day before the group arrives at Phoebe’s place for their tour stop. Maybe it is one of Sebastian’s team, or maybe someone else altogether. Everyone seems to be up to something and Phoebe was asked by Detective Martin to keep her eyes and ears open. Good thing her long-time friend (and maybe more), Rich Lofting is a former cop and currently a very good private investigator who is willing to indulge her and conduct stakeouts. The interactions between these two are fun and adorable as they dance around the “should we take this out of the friend zone” attitudes. Rich may or may not know about Phoebe’s extra abilities, he knew her aunt Eudora, who was the subject of small town rumors about being a witch. Her teas helped a little too well, such a finding love and getting sleep. 

The plot is well constructed and the clues well placed. The red herrings make it a challenge and the character interactions keep you turning pages as well as chuckling. Being a fan of the culinary cozies I was very happy to see that there were recipes at the conclusion of the story. I had sourdough starter already going after reading book two and used it to make the blueberry lemon sourdough bread. Both the story and the sourdough were highly enjoyable and I cannot wait to see what happens next. The ending is a doozy!