December 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. 

Deep Fried Death
A Country Store Mystery #12
Maddie Day

 The 12th book in the Country Store Mystery Book series has some new and interesting tidbits such as the phrase “busier than a mosquito in a nudist colony.” There is no way to not chuckle while reading each time Robbie interacts with Buck, who as it turns out Buck has a wife, a doctor, who knew?!?! When you’re not chuckling be prepared to have hunger pains from the amazing food descriptions, but not to worry there are recipes included at the conclusion of the story. I made the apple dumplings and they were enjoyed by many. In addition to a new recipe, the murder site is a new one as well, an outhouse race for the site of the murder, now that is a new and creative cozy mystery event. It was a pity that the victim’s body ended up inside Robbie’s race entry. Evermina was beaten with a cast iron skillet being used as a decoration thus ending the smear campaign she had started against Robbie’s restaurant store, the Pans and Pancakes. Since the murder took place in Nashville instead of South Lick, Robbie is not working with local law enforcement and actually seems to be trying to avoid Sheriff Hailey Harris and state detective Octavia Slade while she looks for clues to remove herself and maybe her brother-in-law Don O’Neil from the top of the suspect list. Usually Robbie is bouncing ideas and info back and forth with Buck, but not this time at least not in the presence of his deputy cousin Wanda or Octavia. 

Robbie hates that once again she was involved in a murder but relishes the exercise of creating a clue crossword to keep things straight. Was Evermina killed by Zeke her husband (we aren’t sure if there was a divorce yet or not). Maybe it was Wendy Corbert, gift shop owner in Nashville, who appears to be Zeke’s new girlfriend.  Robbie is feeling overwhelmed in this one between her “condition,” the restaurant with its soon to be delivered deep fryer, constant questioning by nonlocal law enforcement, and worry for her brother-in-law Don.   As a stand-alone cozy, you do not need to know what happened in the last book or the last 11 for that matter but since it is such a great series you will want to add them to your TBR list.  Robbie is a unique character with adequate skills as a cook and carpenter (this is how she describes herself) and no professional sleuth training but she does have a good heart and desire to help her family and friends. You find yourself empathizing with Robbie but be careful of the well laid red herrings that misdirect and be sure to check out the tasty recipes. 

Public Anchovy #1: A Deep Dish Mystery
Molly Quigley
St. Martin's Paperbacks

What should have been a fun and festive event turns into a dark and stormy night complete with a murder. Delilah and crew have been hired to cater the Friends of the Library’s Roaring 20’s fundraising event. Sounds like fun, right? Well then there is a storm and a request for an all vegan pizza with no gluten and no sugar and no tomatoes which makes it a “free from” pizza (free from anything that makes it a pizza). As the weather turns treacherous so does the situation for the rather unpleasant Edgar Clemmons who was on a mysterious mission regarding a wrong that needed to be righted. Funny thing about Edgar is that the only person who seemed to be able to tolerate and even enjoy his company was Sonya, Delilah’s BFF and business partner.  Among the suspects is an international artist Count Leka Simeon Victor Hohenstaufen Chandon aka Jarka’s ex‑fiancé, the Count’s current fiancé, a pretentious and well off influencer, her trophy husband, and maybe even Capone’s mom, Lola Capone. 

There is nothing like spending the night without power in a dark and slightly spooky house with a possible killer. As the catering crew and the “hoity-toity” guests hunker down, Delilah goes in search of Butterball the stowaway cat who causes some chaos. So she might be looking for clues at the same time, but hey you can’t blame a girl from wanting to clear the name of her beloved cat. 

I do need to point out that this is not how Delilah wanted to meet Capone’s mom. Of course Delilah has a hard time determining if the man has feelings for her or not as he has a tendency to be in cop mode when they are together, which means walls go up and stoic/stone faced Capone comes out. In this instant though, the weather might have been cold but the heat between Delilah and Detective Capone is HOT. This is culinary cozy so it comes with an array of recipes included a very tasty recipe for tiramisu cookie bars that are easy to make and even easier to eat (the entire pan).   

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.     

A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian

 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 Midnight Puzzle
A Secret Staircase Novel
Gigi Pandian
Minotaur Books

Book three of the series is just as good as one and two. The mystery within a mystery comes to completion and I for one hope that this is not the last in this series. Secret Staircase Construction company faces not only a law suit but also ghosts of the past. This is a stand alone cozy but you really should start at the beginning to get all the nuisances related to Moriarty. That being said, my mind was completely blown by the reveal. Ms. Pandian does an expert job of crafting this story with misdirection and magic, not a paranormal sort of magic, just good old fashioned LA style Magic Castle magic. This one starts out with an attempted murder, a lawsuit, a career ending accident, two deaths, missing files both international and local, and Pop-Up justice. Great plot build and so many skillfully laid red herrings that I was creating a suspect list that was not getting anymore narrow until the pieces started falling into place for Tempest. A little bittersweet in some parts and I would really like for her to pick a guy because her two suitors and similar yet very different.  This one was definitely a puzzle with so many pieces, similar to a mystery puzzle where you don't know what the picture is supposed to look like until all of the pieces are in place. This puzzle kept me going page by page and piece by piece until the big reveal that was absolutely jaw-dropping. Kudos to the narrator as well for doing such a great job with the voices for each character, it really brought the story to "life" for me. I am also a fan of the recipes supplied at the conclusion of the story and look forward to trying one or two out. 

October 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.  

A Corpse at the Witching Hour
Food Blogger Mystery
Debra Sennefelder
Beyond the Page Books

It is spooky time in Jefferson and food blogger Hope Early is spending Halloween handing out candy with her BFF Drew at his aunt Issy’s home known as the Osbon house, a haunted house and site of a murder-suicide that led to the legend that every 20 years a woman dies (dun-dun-dun). Sure enough, Hope finds a dead witch in the front yard while cleaning up candy wrappers. Okay, not a witch but rather a woman dressed like a witch. There is a lot to unpack in this latest food blogger mystery, past history, present conflicts, and possible future events. Hope has a lot on her plate with recipe testing plus blog writing and the remodeling project involving the barn and a pesky anonymous complainer challenging her permit to build the much needed studio kitchen. Hope might not know who the complainer is but she does know who makes a good suspect. It couldn’t have been Drew’s aunt she is/was sick, right. Then there is Drew’s cousin Thurston who is all business, maybe monkey business. Honestly, it looks like Drew’s family are all possible suspects except for Drew who has Hope for an alibi. Suspecting Drew’s family is not going to bode well for their friendship. At least her relationship with Ethan is on the upswing, he seems to have made peace with Hope’s need to ask questions, track down clues, and indulge her curiosity. She does all three of these things and sometimes, most times, she succeeds in finding the clues and getting the answers but sometimes people are not all that happy to share. Unlike Hope, who is always happy to share a fresh baked treat like her Pumpkin Bars with Chocolate Chips (recipe found at the end of the story and my pick for recipe and review).  As you can read, this is a complicated mystery that is sure to put you in the spooky spirit and keep you turning pages. The misdirects work well and the food descriptions will make your mouth water. This was a great holiday cozy and I look forward to the next one.   

Syrup to No Good
A Maple Syrup Mystery
Catherine Bruns

Welcome to Sugar Ridge and the Sappy Endings maple syrup farm complete with the Sappy Hour Café where you can get some tasty treats (btw recipes are at the end of the story). Great stand alone cozy that features a sweet sleuth who runs the family maple syrup farm. There are easy to relate to characters who draw you into the story such as Leila Koury our intrepid sleuth who inherited her father’s farm business and solved his murder as well as her bff Heather Turcot, who just wants a fairy tale wedding with no glitches. I cannot think of a bigger glitch than a murder, even if the victim was Heather’s beyond snooty and condescending, new to the family, aunt Monica. Due to money problems and propriety, if someone can’t figure out who killed Monica with a bejeweled knife, the happy couple are going to be saying their vows at the county courthouse. Heather figures that since Leila was able to solve her dad’s murder she must be the next Jessica Fletcher and just has to look into things. There is no shortage of suspects including Heather’s own uncle Grant. I would say that there were just as many misdirects and in the middle of it all is a sticky situation involving Mark, the guy who broke Leila’s heart and their engagement five years ago. Needless to say, Leila has not been sitting around waiting for him to walk back into her life. Leila has taken her emotional baggage and moved on. Thankfully, Noah, Leila’s employee, co-worker, boyfriend (she isn’t sure how to label it), has some baggage of his own and I don’t mean his adorable daughter Emma. Leila has no time, interest, or trust in Mark’s sudden desire to rekindle their relationship and take up where he left off. Besides, Leila has a murder to solve and no time for Mark’s full court press or her mother Selma’s backseat driving. So if you’re a foodie like me start at the back of the book, make one of those delectable dishes and settle for mystery that is such to keep you stuck to your seat. I give this cozy 5 out of 5 maple drenched pancakes.

Murder Uncorked
A Cece Barton Mystery
Maddie Day
Kensington Cozies 

Located in the town of Colinas, nestled in the Alexander Valley is a wine bar managed by Cece Barton  called Vino y Vida. The mom of a college student and a widow, Cece is happy with her new life and location which puts her in the same locale as her twin sister Allie and family. Cece has a little experience already with mystery solving having cleared her sister as a suspect while visiting Colinas (Christmas Mitten Murder). When a somewhat prickly and demanding Vincent Sardo is found dead, Cece ends up on Officer Daniel’s suspect list all because of some heated email exchanges. There are plenty of other suspects who were in conflict with Sardo, starting with his ex-wife Inez who had to take a job at the local bookstore as a result of the new marital status. Wayne, the VVA lawyer had issues with Sardo and was even suggesting that Sardo had been embezzling from the VVA. The mysterious and attractive consultant named Benjamin, who is staying at Allie’s B&B, and working with the VVA is not above suspicion. Allie thinks that it is time for Cece to put herself back out there, hint-hint. Nicole throws shade at Pete, next door neighbor Richard’s nephew with talk of questionable parentage. Officer Daniel’s is still coming after Cece because she has no alibi. All the more reason for Cece to continue does have lots of questions which may or may not have led to a hit‑n‑run incident.  This story has multiple plot points that may or may not tie together which keeps you guessing and turning pages. Looking forward to the next one.  

The Fatal Folio
The Cambridge Bookshop Series #3
Elizabeth Penny

Book three of the series does not disappoint and in fact it educates. I have seen the V Mask but never knew it was the Guy Fawkes mask or that it was tied to a British historic event. In addition to the new knowledge I was also entertained by two stories and multiple mysteries. While we are reading the cozy Fatal Folio, main character Molly reads the Fatal Folio penned by one Selwyn Scott ancestor to Molly’s boyfriend, Kieran, which is also about a book that killed its owners entitled The Ramblings of a Monk. The story starts with Molly being hired to catalog Kieran’s family library. No need to have read books 1 and/or 2 to learn that Kieran is the son of Lord and Lady Scott so yes they are somewhat like aristocracy. Thankfully Kieran prefers the quite life of a bike store owner and tends to downplay the upper crust aspects of his family life.  The first mystery involves Kieran’s cousin Oliver an instructor at St. Aelred, a Cambridge college, as a suspect in the knife and run death of a student. The only clues are a pair of orange trainers (shoes) that several people own, and a very popular biking jacket with reflective trim (again very popular and unisex). The knife came from a collection housed at the school. Shortly after the murder, the original manuscript for the Fatal Folio is stolen. Molly is already so busy with the cataloging project but cannot help her curious nature and needs to find out who killed the arrogant Thad Devine and who stole the priceless original family heirloom manuscript. Molly’s curiosity is contagious because I could not put the book down. The clues were well laid as were the misdirects. The additional story that you read along with Molly draws you in every bit as much as the mystery involving Molly.

Let it Crow! Let it Crow! Let it Crow!
Meg Langslow Mysteries #34
Donna Andrews

As this was an audio I need to point out that the narrator, Bernadette Dunne, does an awesome job! My favorite smithy with a penchant for sass is back and this time she is going live. The last thing wanted to do was to be on a reality contest show for blacksmiths, in fact she was looking forward to watching from the sidelines and enjoying her time at Ra’s castle which is completely decked out for the holidays. Now she has no choice because Faulk’s sizeable investment to help fund the show is on the line. The only thing that is clear about this murder is that Brody wasn’t permanently knocked out of the running because of his talent but it might have been because he sabotaged or at least tried to sabotage the other contestants. There are plenty of suspects, and even more laughs. Meg has a great sense of humor (thanks Ms. Andrews) and referred to the producers of the show as the Tweedles, the nickname had me chuckling every single time. Once again we are made a part of the Hollingsworth family as Meg takes us with her along with her notebook that “reminds her when to breath” as she hammers out the challenge of a contest and a killer. Did I mention that she has some great interactions with the title stars? Great stand-alone but you really should start with the first book and it will take you no time to get caught up.  So many funny family get-togethers, so much yummy sounding foods, and everyone is just so darn nice! This cozy holds your attention from beginning to end with great plot, comedic episodes, serious sleuthing, and an awesome cast of characters.

A Nutcracker Nightmare

A Killer Chocolate Mystery

Christina Romeril

The twins are back for their second book and second Christmas season of making delicious chocolates and spreading holiday cheer. I do believe that this cozy had the most odious victim I have ever come across, but even an odious victim deserves justice. In addition to the hustle and bustle of the holiday, a high school reunion of sorts brings several people to town for the holiday season, including a variety of suspects. As with any reunion, people talk about past events including the tragic loss of young life which may or may not have a bearing on this mystery. The alumni aren’t the only one engaging in chit chat amongst themselves, it seems that there is an anonymous gossip known as Miss T, who likes to spill the tea and create a bit of drama such as making disparaging remarks about Alex. Alex has no time for drama, Hanna’s fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, spurring Alex into sleuth mode with the help of her friends and her romantic interest. This is a stand-along mystery where the secrets of the past and present collide creating clues and misdirects. This cozy is thoroughly enjoyable with a set of twins who are relatable and some delectable sounding chocolates, plus a recipe or two found at the conclusion of the story. I give this one 5 chocolates out of 5.

Stalking Around the Christmas Tree
A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery
Jacqueline Frost

Book four finds Holly White, innkeeper, jewelry artisan, and bride to be, in the thick of the Christmas season and knee deep in wedding plans, so surely she can find time to squeeze in a little sleuthing on the side when an Inn guest dies. The town is hopping this holiday season, in addition to the usual overwhelming influx of visitors, the mayor has arranged for a ballet company to perform the Nutcracker, stretching the police force even thinner than usual. This means that Holly’s finance Evan, aka the sheriff, is on crowd control in addition to getting prepped for the wedding and then there’s a murder. Everyone knows that Holly can’t resist a mystery, especially when Tiffany the dead prima ballerina, was a guest at her Inn so it is no secret that Holly is asking questions. Questions for the ballet coach, questions for the other ballerinas, questions for an elusive blogger named Courtney, she is even asking elusive Libby, Evan’s sister questions (not related to the murder). Libby is acting strange, wearing wigs, being skittish, she even broke up with her boyfriend. What is that all about? Holly has her hands full and will need to enlist the help of her friends if she is going to get Christmas cards mailed, donated gifts wrapped, reception decorations made, and murder solved. As with the previous Christmas Tree Farm mysteries, this is a stand-alone that stands out not only because of the expertly crafted plot but because these characters are genuine and draw you in as you turn each page. The other thing that draws me in with this series are the amazing sweets. Holly tells Libby that all you need is slice of peppermint pie to get people to talk, after finding a recipe and making one for myself, I have to agree that I would spill the tea for a piece of that pie. Looking forward to book five!

Sugar Plum Poisoned
A Cupcake Bakery Mystery
Jenn McKinlay
Berkley

 Book number 15 of 16 for the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series but this is book number one for me. It’s Christmas time, the most wonderful yet busiest time of the year, especially for a bakery of any kind much less the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery, but what is one more special order. Up and coming country singer Shelby Vaughn and a friend of Angie’s is in town to perform and she needs some special cupcakes for the VIPs. Mel is leery at first because she doesn’t know Angie but soon finds herself won over because Shelby is so genuine and sweet, which balances out her new manager Doc (nope he isn’t a medical doctor) who is all business. Angie and Mel aren’t sure it isn’t monkey business because Doc seems to be keeping Shelby from associating with anyone and everyone. So of course Doc is the victim but who is the killer? And what was Mel thinking by having her brothers take care of decorating the house for the family gathering? Speaking of the family gathering…Mel’s mom asks for Mel to host which means two days of meal prep because this is a BIG group. There are some very entertaining parts with plenty of sweetness and snark, my kind of cozy. The suspects are plentiful and guilty looking. The laughs are plenty and the recipes are AWESOME. This is a stand-alone but I need to go back and read from the beginning to see how the relationships develop. 

Overdue or Die
A Haunted Library Mystery
Allison Brook
Crooked Lane Books 

Book number seven starts out with a trifecta of turmoil. A heart attack, a verbal attack, and a physical attack and that’s before we even get to murder. Gallery owner Martha Mallory is murdered followed by the unfortunate accident of Emily Fielding. Was it the accident of an unsteady older lady or an intentional pushing down the stairs??? Carrie just can’t leave this one alone but she also has to find time to work on her wedding plans with Dillon. Will she ever be able to settle on the venue? More information comes to light regarding Martha’s business practices as well as her shady past. There are plenty of suspects from art collector Victor Zalinka; Leroy Gum who has mob family ties, finally there is Martha’s past associations. Carrie’s friend and police detective John is under pressure to find the murderer(s) and resident ghost Evelyn is pushing Carrie to work harder to get to the bottom of who killed Martha. The case becomes even more complicated with the killing of Denny, the son of the mobster who Martha was involved with and subsequently sent to jail. So many murders and clues are being left that point to Victor who denies any involvement in the crimes other than some poor romantic judgement involving Martha. Victor hires Dillon to prove his innocence and asks Carrie to do what she does best next to being a librarian, solve the murders and free him from suspicion. This story has so many layers you need to write it all down to keep track. Carrie certainly has her work cut out for her, thankfully she has supportive family, friends, and finance. The herrings are plentiful as are the clues so you can’t put this one down until you get to the end. The only thing that I thought was missing from this entertaining cozy, was the recipe for Carrie’s double chocolate brownies, those sounded amazing. I am looking forward to the next Haunted Library Mystery and the wedding of Carrie and Dillon.

 

Snow Place for Murder
A Mountain Lodge Mystery
Diane Kelly
St. Martin's Paperbacks 

This cozy starts with a family gathering at the Inn for Thanksgiving and turns into a working vacation for Misty‘s kids since she has an Inn to run and her guys want spending money for the slopes.  It is such a refreshing storyline to have a couple who grew apart but didn’t grow bitter and are able to spend holidays together with their sons as a family. I also like that Rocky, Misty’s handyman and love interest shows no signs of jealousy and is able to sit down to those holiday family dinners as well. If only the holiday season could be all snow skiing and hot toddies. This is the third book of the Mountain Lodge Mysteries and can be read as a stand-alone. I like that although the past murders are mentioned, the murderers are not. Developer Nigel Goodwin has rented out the Inn to give a presentation to potential investors who are as different from one another as snowflakes. Nigel makes a big presentation and certainly knows how to zig and zag when asked about his unsuccessful resort in Alberta Canada. He also does a very good job of defusing an angry crowd of locals who believe that a resort is the last thing that Beech Mountain needs citing the negative impact on local wildlife, traffic, and local businesses. The only people whom Nigel can’t seem to charm are his wife and his assistant.  Oh and the killer, he obviously did not have any luck charming his killer. It is a pity that Yeti didn’t see what had happened because she does get to share her thoughts every couple of chapters. Such a cute aspect of the book and she never gives away more than she should. The story is engaging and keeps you guessing as to who did it and why. I think I changed my mind at least 3 times and still didn’t have it quite figured out. So I would suggest getting a warm drink and curl up in front of a fire because this story is going to capture your attention and keep you turning pages. 

May 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 With Earl Grey Tea
A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery
Karen Rose Smith
Kensington Cozies

As with any cozy, it is a little bit sadder when a good character dies rather than an obnoxious one, which is all the more reason why Daisy must work to solve this latest mystery. Lydia left behind an adorable little girl who has a loving family but is really too young to understand why her mom will not be coming home. I really liked the realness to this one, Jazzy, Daisy’s teenage daughter, suggests therapy to combat the PTSD that Daisy is feeling as a result of finding one too many victims. Not to worry, there are still all the happy feels that are normally found in a cozy, such as the cheer surrounding the prep work of the Alice in Wonderland children’s tea event. There are also the multiple humorous encounters between Daisy’s aunt Iris and Daisy’s extremely competitive suitors. In the midst of work at the tea garden and helping out with an event at the Farm Barn, Daisy doesn’t have much time to work on her own projects, namely her upcoming wedding. This story keeps you turning pages to see what Daisy will do and how she will handle each new challenge including her daughter’s family moving to a place of their own. Thoroughly engaging, this cozy stands on its own and thoroughly entertains. 

Murder Off the Books
By the Book Series
Tamara Berry
Poisoned Pen Press 

Erma Bombeck meets Agatha Christie in a small Oregon town with both quaint and quirky characters. This is the third and best one so far. A possible serial killer lady’s man who targets mature ladies with healthy bank accounts has become Tess‘s mom’s boy toy. Tess finds out when her mom makes an unannounced arrival that coincides with Tess’s open house for the recently converted bookstore where the new Detective Gonzalez novel will be launched. Such comedy of mysterious errors as a hunk of money shows up with the hunk of sushi tuna at the same time as the reporter who requested to interview Tess. My favorite part of the whole book was when Tess was both indignant and hurt because Neptune Jones had been asked by Sheriff Boyd to stop by for glass of “desk whiskey”. You see Tess had never been offered the bottom drawer drink.  The back and forth between Tess and well, everybody, makes you laugh out loud. A few red herring to go with that tuna, a little bit of a love triangle, a cameo from Wingbat the hacker, and a little bit of peril added for good measure. You will not be able to put this one down or keep a straight face. Looking forward to the next one!

Witch Upon A Star
Witch Way Librarian Series
Angela Sanders
Kensignton

Josie is a book whispering librarian and a justice seeking witch with a crush on the local sheriff, Sam Wilfred, who smiles when he is angry and frowns when he is happy. Welcome to the quaint and cozy town of Wilfred, Oregon and by quaint, I mean that it is quite possibly the smallest small town in the cozy universe. The library also serves as a bath house for the local fortune reader, a replacement café while Darla’s is being rebuilt, which means that people are constantly coming in and out of the library kitchen. Definitely not a run of the mill library as it is also home to Josie and her witch familiar, Rodney. Once a corporate town of old it is now home to a new retreat center that is hosting the one and only Cookie Masterson, life coach, and health guru. Josie’s sister Jean is in town to attend the conference because she has a calling. Ah but is it the family magic that is calling Jean or is it the siren song of the “Ready, Set, Go” scheme? You see, Jean doesn’t know about big sister Josie’s gifts and there is a good chance that Jean has her own but doesn’t really know it. This one had me stumped and second guessing who the guilty person was because there were plenty of suspects for both murders. Such the pity that the café’s big re-opening had to be marred by a little breaking, entering, and stabbing. I have read all books in the series but you do not have to know the series to know what is going on in the story. There is plenty of backstory to keep you in the loop as you “arm chair detective” your way through the clues and redirects. While food isn’t mentioned often the reopening of the café was a big deal, and I love that Darla was so inspired by her time in the south that she offers southern dishes, like shrimp and grits, which I felt was the perfect pairing.

Give Fudge A Chance
A Candy-Coated Mystery                                              
Nancy Coco
Kensington
 

Worst...proposal...ever, but I’ll get to that later. This is the 11^th book in the Candy-Coated Mystery series which comes complete with amazing recipes, fudge ones especially. The story starts off with the annual Mackinac county fair that has all sorts of midway rides, games, and even a haunted house that comes complete with a dead body. In other stories from this series, Allie McMurphy’s maltipoo Mal is usually the cadaver dog so to speak but this time it is all on Allie. Allie is a professionally trained chocolatier who makes amazing fudge and runs her families inn, the McMurphy on Mackinac Island.  In addition to a murder with no apparent motive, there is also 20 year candy contest upset, a parkour plummet, seniors who love drama, surprise social media vlogger, and the pitiful proposal. Allie is trying to steer clear of trouble and promises Rex her police officer boyfriend that she won’t get involved unless she or the Inn are involved…famous last words. So between fending off nasty rumors of unfair play at the county fair, crafting fudge, keeping Carol from going off the rails with the book club (investigators), keeping handsome Harry at bay and pregnant Jenny away from trouble, Allie still manages to get ditch her vlogging shadows and search for clues. A great stand-alone but some much better as part of the series, not to mention the great cookbook aspect. I give this one a 5 Fudge rating!

September 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.  

Case of the Bleus
A Cheese Shop Mystery
Korina Moss
Minotaur Books

By far the best Cheese Shop Mystery yet. While I am not a fan of the Bleu I am a fan of of this series. This latest mystery, much like bleu cheese, has a lovely vein/mystery running through it surrounding the will of Willow's recently deceased mentor Max Dumas, and the secret of his amazing and renowned Church Bleu. Max liked puzzles, riddles, and mysteries, so of course, his last wishes are not necessarily straight forward with regards to his Church Bleu. I am reminded of a line from the movie "National Treasure" but instead of a secret lying with Charlotte it is being kept by Rebecca. Willow's former coworkers are interesting group of suspects who seemed like contestants on a reality TV show rather than coworkers and colleagues. Then there is the estranged daughter, Maxine, and the over the top Hugo Potts, president of the board of directors of the Northwest Cheese Society. I had not figured out the who or why or the where before the big reveal. Willow and #TeamCheese do their best rendition of a Scooby Doo and the gang plan, which means that Willow is smart enough to live to sleuth another day because she is part of a team. She is not as good at keeping herself completely out of harm's way and I fear for her blossoming relationship with Detective Heath/Jay/Heath as it seems to be getting a tad wilted.  Before you start reading the book, I would like to suggest that you skip to the very end, no peeking before the recipe section, and make one of the wonderful cheese related dishes. I tried the Gorgonzola Garlic Bread and paired it with a bottle of mead (yes I actually had one on hand). 

Death by a Thousand Sips
A Witches Brew Mystery
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books

This is the second in the Witches Brew Mysteries series, and did you notice that the first book is oh so cutely displayed on this cover. Phoebe Winchester is both a tea shop owner/book store owner by trade and a witch with probability powers and slow motion time abilities (in a pinch). She also seems to be developing a knack at solving mysteries. What should have been an average estate sale Weatherly mansion, with a decent haul of mass media paperbacks turns out to be an unfortunate incident of murder. The suspects include Riley the disowned by association family member whose grandfather had never met him. Riley felt that the victim got what she deserved. Was it Franny, the quiet assistant who took a verbal lashing from Madelaine right before Madelaine turns up dead? Or maybe it was the oh-so attractive personal secretary to Mr. Weatherly who given…pretty much everything. Since Phoebe was the person to find Madelaine dead, she figures she is on the suspect list as well and needs to do what she can to get off of it by finding the killer. Thank goodness Phoebe has friends such as her mentor, Honey who helps with her memory by way of a little magic in a bottle for under the pillow. Rich, the handsome PI is also ready to lend a hand both professionally and personally. This was a great cozy with engaging characters and a clever plot that kept me turning pages while taking notes and trying to avoid red herrings. I was also impressed by the recipes in the back and cannot wait to try my hand at making the sourdough starter. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series to add to my TBR list.

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas
A Year-Round Christmas Mystery
Vicki Delaney
Crooked Lane Books 

It is Christmas time in the town of Randolph, the year round Christmas town and they are getting ready for a musical production of The Christmas Carol. Let me start by saying WOW book six of the Year Round Christmas series has more drama involved than any community theater group should be allowed, especially for this time of year.  Our sleuth Merry knows all about performers and their temperament her mom is a real diva, seriously, she is a retired Met Opera diva. So was it artistic differences, acting ambitions, or something else that leads to the death of Paula who has been cast as Mrs. Cratchit? Since the murder occurred in Merry’s store, Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, during business hours, and Jackie her assistant was the over eager understudy, Merry has no choice but to ask questions and get to the bottom of all the drama. The story moves at a good pace and Merry does such a great job with not asking the wrong people the right questions and getting herself into perilous predicaments. This is a fun holiday cozy that keeps you turning pages and wondering why Paula was the victim. 

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.