November 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. 

Caught in the Traminette
The Wine Trail Mysteries
J.C. Eaton
Beyond the Book Publishing 

It seems that once again Norrie has agreed to help out her sister and brother-in-law by overseeing things at the family winery, Two Witches Winery while they are off searching for some sort of bug. Norrie doesn’t really know or care about the world of etymology, not even when she is gifted with cockroach DNA, a highly valuable sample of cockroach DNA (double eww).

A developer is looking to build a high rise complex on the lake and no one wants it. In fact, MaMadeline owners   and   of Winery had put an offer in on the same land to be able to plant grapes to produce a traminette wine. Naturally   is high on the suspect list when the developer is found dead behind their winery. Norrie was warned by Zenora the psychic librarian, that both Norrie and the winery were surrounded by dark spirits. Was it the dark spirits that raided her fridge, yet nothing was taken. As with all Wine Trail mysteries, these are read alone but you really should go back to the beginning to really appreciate all the (mis)adventures that Norrie and her fellow wine trail friends experience. Norrie’s day job is screenwriter and often for Hallmark style movies. The characters are engaging and the plot does a great job of building up. There are plenty of clues and just as many distractions. This one in particular had a subplot that kept me guessing until the crazy and climatic end. I was giggling as I read.

 Lastly, I always learn something new when I read a Wine Trail Mystery and this time was no different. Unfortunately the wineries in my area do not make a Traminette wine. My guess is that we don’t get cold enough for the right varietal down here in Southern California.

Murder In a Cup
A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery #2
Lauren Elliott
Kensington Cozies

Book 2 of A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery series finds Shay becoming more comfortable with the tea shop and her new life complete with “inky feelings,” while reminding herself that “when things fall apart, other things fall in place.” This is a great saying to keep in mind because there is so much to book 2 but I don’t want to give any of it away…other than to say timing is everything and it appears to still not be quite right in the romance department (ARGGG).

Suffice it to say, this cozy will have you trying to make sense of the patterns as the plot takes shape, much like the tea leaves that Shay deciphers. There are at least two subplots plus the murder and the story arc involving Shay’s biological father, whom no one wants to meet in a dark alley to be sure. We learn about the Early family history and its magic from Liam’s Gran who is quite the character with her fanciful talk of the Seelie and Unseelie Court. Don’t take Gran for granted or discount her because she is person of great knowledge, and still has a few tricks up her sleeves or rather, in her crystals’ case. Useful tricks and abilities that Shay is going to need if she is to help her young friend Tassi. Between the removal of the poisonous plants, murder by tea, a restraining order, accusations of witchcraft, a conniving cousin, heart palpations, and a large number of suppositions, you will not be bored or able to put the book down. I suggest you find a recipe for Scottish scones; I would suggest the Scottish Scran website, make a few and hunker down for a great read.  After the great family history lesson, I can see why Shay was drawn to gemology, and I wonder if maybe she’ll be drawn to the other Madigan.