chez_jae: (Books)
The Glass is Always Greener (Den of Antiquity, #16)The Glass is Always Greener by Tamar Myers

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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Used my holiday to finish reading The Glass is Always Greener by Tamar Myers. It’s the 16th (and final) in her “Den of Antiquity” series of humorous cozies. The main character is Abigail Timberlake Washburn, owner of Den of Antiquity.

Abby reluctantly agrees to accompany her friend, Rob, to a “going away” party hosted by his eccentric Aunt Jerry, who recently had a reading done that revealed her date of death. Jerry uses the opportunity to impugn her entire greedy family. Even Abby gets drawn into the drama when she tries to defend Rob. After Jerry is found dead in the walk-in freezer, Abby finds herself a suspect in the woman’s death. All she wants to do is go home, but she can’t leave town while she’s a person of interest. For that reason, Abby decides to do some sleuthing on her own. She’s aided by her Mama and friends CJ and Wynnell, who came to lend support. What Abby learns is that Rob’s family are all mad, and any one of them could have done the deed.

To begin with, I have several books in this series, and Amazon led me to believe it was the FIRST one, not the last one. Had I known that, I would have read it, oh, I don’t know...LAST. Grr. I have read a few others in the series; they are all delightfully funny and madcap—very entertaining. Abby’s observations are hilarious, and although some of the characters’ behavior is completely over the top, it just adds to the amusement factor. I did not care for how this ended, neither the book/story itself nor the series as a whole.

Favorite lines:
♦ In the stunned silence that followed, one could have heard a frog fart.
♦ It is no accident, I think, that the first syllable of the word hormones is what it is.
♦ “Those rolls make my tongue want to come out and slap my head silly.”
♦ “A hunch from a woman is worth two facts from a man.”
♦ “Biddies, please. Oops, I meant to say ladies.” // “The hell you did,” the biddies said in unison.
♦ Trust me, being surprised from behind by another person is even worse when it happens in a cemetery.
♦ “For now is not forever.”


I’d love to give this 3.5 stars. Hm. The rushed ending knocks it down to three.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
A Frosty Mug of Murder (The Grumpy Chicken Irish Pub, #1)A Frosty Mug of Murder by Constance Barker

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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I finished reading A Frosty Mug of Murder last night. It’s the first book in Constance Barker’s “Grumpy Chicken Irish Pub” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Ginger O’Mallory.

Ginger and her father own and run the Grumpy Chicken Irish Pub. The pub got its name because it’s allegedly haunted by an angry chicken. Ginger tries to downplay that aspect of the pub, but she has bigger fish to fry when she pays a visit to the town’s resident black widow and finds the woman dead in her home. Ginger dutifully calls the police, one of whom is her Aunt Mae. Aunt Mae assures Ginger they’ll get to the bottom of things, but Ginger is compelled to get involved in the investigation. Soon several of her regulars are involved, too, leading to mayhem. Will the pub’s patrons be able to solve the murder before the police do?

This was a fun story, but it was somewhat vexing to read. Grammar was okay, but the punctuation was a hot mess. There were times I’d have to reread a line to give it the proper inflection in my mind, because it should have ended with a question mark instead of a period. Commas were missing or misused, and it really did lessen my enjoyment of the book. In addition, Ginger spent virtually the entire story haring off to “investigate”. I give kudos to her employee, Dixie, who called her out on her bullsh*t because they needed her at the pub. Characters were portrayed well and included an eclectic mix. There were also the dozens of cats that the victim had in and around her home to add some comic relief.

Favorite lines:
♦ Juicy news gets around a small town faster than a cold in a classroom full of kindergartners.
♦ “You know what they say, the murderer always goes to get a sandwich and then sit in front of the bank after committing the crime.”
♦ “Are you nuts! We’re talking about breaking into a crime scene and picking a team name is your concern?”
♦ “I might need some help here. There is a big black cat chasing me. Oh holy feline hell, there are more of them.”
♦ I wasn’t looking where I was going and tripped over Harry Potter.


Likable enough for a score of four, but poor editing and Ginger’s near-constant sleuthing knock it down to a three.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Fundraising the Dead (Museum, #1)Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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I finished reading Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly last night. It’s the first book in her cozy “Museum” mystery series, starring museum fundraiser, Eleanor “Nell” Pratt.

As the fundraiser for the Society for the Preservation of Pennsylvania Antiques, Nell is busy organizing a grand gala that will hopefully woo more patrons to donate money. With only hours to go before the event, one of the board members contacts Nell, claiming that some items donated by her family have gone missing. Nell is certain the letters have merely been misplaced, but when she checks in with the archivist who has been logging the Society’s vast collections into the computer, she learns that other items are also unaccounted for. Nell vows to investigate further but she is hampered in her efforts when the archivist dies under mysterious circumstances the night of the gala. Worse, when Nell alerts the president of the society (the man with whom she’s been carrying on a discreet affair), Charles would rather keep things quiet than notify the authorities. As Nell digs into the disappearances, she finds more questions than answers.

Nell is a mature, sensible, and smart main character, if a bit naive. The plot was slow and methodical, not exactly exciting, but interesting. Nell’s “amateur investigation” had more to do with the missing items from the Society than the murder, which was a refreshing take on things. Characters were portrayed well. I’m not really sure how I feel about the book. I almost think that Martha “Marty” Terwilliger (the woman who first notified Nell of missing items) would have been a more compelling main character.

Favorite lines:
♦ “If I weren’t such a lady, I’d say we were in deep shit.”
♦ “You’ll never guess who’s downstairs.” // “I have no clue. The mayor? The head of the Philadelphia Museum? Brad Pitt?”


A good story, but not exactly entertaining. Average score of three.

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Farm Fresh Murder (A Farmers' Market Mystery, #1)Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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I finished my work book at lunch today. It was Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton, and it’s the first in her “Farmers’ Market” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Becca Robins, who owns a small farm and sells her produce and preserves at the market.

Becca is keeping busy with creating jams and preserves from her produce, selling at the market, and helping her twin sister get ready for an upcoming dinner to celebrate all the vendors at the market. When one of the vendors is murdered at the market and Becca’s friend, Abner, is considered the prime suspect, she can’t help but get involved. Abner wouldn’t harm a fly, and Becca aims to prove it. Soon she’s asking questions, visiting other vendors at their homes, and traveling to another market. Becca uncovers an old love quadrangle, and she can’t help but feel it holds the key to the current crime, if only she can figure out how the pieces fit.

I liked this for the most part. The farmers’ market was a new angle (for me), Becca has a couple romantic interests, and the narrative unfolded in a sensible fashion. It would have been nice to see less sleuthing from Becca and more of her living life. Characters were three-dimensional, including her dog, Hobbit. My enjoyment of the book was lessened by the foolish (read “stupid”) things Becca did in her zeal to prove Abner innocent.

Favorite line: She was old enough to have gotten over the need to have everyone like her all the time.

Average cozy mystery, average score of three.

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Red Delicious Death (Orchard, #3)Red Delicious Death by Sheila Connolly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I finished my “spare” book this evening. It was Red Delicious Death by Sheila Connolly, and it’s the third in the “Orchard” mystery series. The main character is novice orchardist, Meg Corey.

Meg is learning that there is a lot of work that goes into an apple harvest, and that preparations must begin months ahead of time, such as lining up pickers and finding buyers. Nevertheless, when her friend Lauren calls and says she knows a young couple who want to open a restaurant, Meg helps Brian and Nicky find a venue. Their friend Sam will be the sous chef, and part of his duties include visiting local farmers to source fresh food for the restaurant. When Sam is found dead in a pigsty, the police have reason to suspect it was homicide. Meg is too busy to get involved in any amateur investigation, but she does help out where she can. Sam wasn’t in town long enough to make any enemies, so Meg and everyone else is left wondering who would have wanted him dead?

The mystery took a backseat in this book, which was both refreshing and annoying. Most of the narrative was taken up with Meg’s orchard business, and her trying to help Brian and Nicky launch their restaurant endeavor. Meg’s relationship with Seth is progressing nicely, and it was VERY refreshing to read a cozy mystery wherein the main character neither stumbled over the victim’s dead body nor ended up in peril at the end of the book.

Favorite line: “Houses seem to have this built-in urge to self-destruct, and us hardy homeowners must battle constantly to prevent it.”

I was leaning towards an average score for this one, but my delight in the fact that Meg didn’t find the body or end up in danger at the end bumps the score up to four.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Killer Mousse (A Della Cooks Mystery #1)Killer Mousse by Melinda Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I finished my “spare” book last night. It was Killer Mousse by Melinda Wells, and it’s the first in her “Della Cooks” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Della Carmichael, a 47 year-old widow who runs a cooking school.

Della’s cooking school is doing okay, but she’s struggling to make ends meet. Therefore, she jumps at the chance to host a cooking show on a local cable channel. However, during the live airing of her first episode, the woman who volunteers to taste-test Della’s “killer mousse” drops dead. When it’s learned that Mimi died of an allergic reaction because the mousse contained peanuts, Della becomes a murder suspect. Her late husband was a police officer, so Della knows her way around the legal system. Soon, she is speaking to others involved with the cable station, trying to learn who may have had it in for Mimi. In the meantime, the TV station senses a PR opportunity and sends an investigative journalist to interview Della. She finds Nicholas D’Martino (or NDM, as she refers to him) to be arrogant and full of himself. When someone else connected with the studio is murdered and Della is attacked, she realizes she’s running out of time to find out who killed Mimi.

I enjoyed this story. I liked Della, and I appreciated that she was a mature woman. Other characters were three-dimensional and relatable, including the foul-mouthed owner of the station. When Della chose to indulge in a fling, I was both astonished and approving. It was refreshing to read about a woman who took what she wanted. Rowr! There really wasn’t much humor in the story, although Della was possessed of a dry wit. The plot moved at a good pace and didn’t meander.

Favorite lines:
♦ Maybe I was so upset at seeing a woman die in front of me that I was being unreasonable.
♦ She was as pale as a vampire’s entrée.


Very good story, and I look forward to reading others in the series. Four stars.

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Plaster and Poison (A Do-It-Yourself Mystery, #3)Plaster and Poison by Jennie Bentley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Finished reading Plaster and Poison last night. It’s the third book in author Jennie Bentley’s “Do It Yourself” mystery series. The main character is interior designer Avery Baker.

When Avery and her boyfriend, Derek, find themselves between renovating flips, their friend Kate asks them to renovate the old carriage house on the grounds of the B&B she owns so she can move into it once she gets married to police chief Wayne. It will be a tall order to complete the job before NYE, which is when Kate and Wayne are getting married. Nevertheless, Avery and Derek dive in. Their work comes to a halt, however, when a dead body is discovered in the carriage house. The victim is someone Kate knew all too well. Now Avery finds herself less concerned about her friend’s future living quarters and more worried about keeping Kate out of prison.

Lively story with lots going on: the murder, a mysterious disappearance, the arrival of Avery’s mother and stepfather for a visit, and an old mystery concerning a love triangle that Avery is determined to unravel. I enjoyed reading about her engaged in activities that did not involve investigating the crime. Avery and other characters were three-dimensional and relatable. I figured some things out early, but others caught me by surprise.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Better to be alone by yourself, than alone with somebody, don’t you think?”
♦ When two unusual things happen right after one another, chances are they’re related.


Fun read, four stars
chez_jae: (Books)
Knit Fast, Die Young (Knitting Mysteries, #2)Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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Finished reading my work book at work today, with time left at lunch to spare! It was Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger. This is the second book in the “Knitting Mysteries” by the author. The main character is Ariadne “Ari” Evans.

Ari is pleased to be attending the Freeport Wool and Yarn Festival, where she encounters old acquaintances and meets new people. One of the attendees is familiar to Ari—Felicia Barr, of Knit it Up! magazine. Felicia is known to be a mean girl, and no one wants to get on her bad side and get dissed in the magazine. When Ari dashes out in the rain to get coffee at one of the other buildings, she didn’t expect Felicia to stumble into her arms, any more than she expected to see a knitting needle sticking out of Felicia’s back. Now the woman is dead, and there are several suspects on-site, including Ari. She swore she wouldn’t get involved in another murder investigation, but Ari is uniquely suited to assist her kinda-sorta boyfriend, Detective Josh Pierce. Josh is hoping Ari can help unravel the mystery before anyone else dyes. Hah!

I didn’t really care for this. Fabric arts are not my cuppa tea, but I could have overlooked that if the story itself had been more enjoyable. Most of the action took place over the course of one day and in one location—the fairgrounds where the murder took place. As a result, I was left feeling like I didn’t learn much about any of the characters nor the (typical series) setting. Ari did provide some helpful clues, but she made a cringe-worthy false accusation of one of the other suspects. I also didn’t like that her friend, Diane, took every opportunity to snipe about Josh. Give it a rest! Also Editing error, ahoy! )

Favorite lines:
♦ “Spinners and knitters and murderers, oh my.”
♦ “I’ll put the skating back on. Michelle Kwan can take your mind off anything.”


I’d give this 2.5 stars if I could. I’ll be kind and bump it up to a three. It was no better than average, in my opinion.

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A Murderous Macaron (Beachfront Bakery #2)A Murderous Macaron by Fiona Grace

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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I finished reading A Murderous Macaron by Fiona Grace last night. It’s the second book in her “Beachfront Bakery” series. The main character is Ali Sweet, who owns...a beachfront bakery!

Now that Ali’s bakery, Seaside Sweets, has established itself via her gourmet cupcakes, she’s ready to branch out. Ali intends to begin offering macarons. Her launch day is a huge success. That is, until Brandon Lennox, a vlogger who gets his views by being rude and pranking people, stops at her bakery. After trying and spitting out her macarons, Brandon drops dead. When it’s determined he was poisoned, everyone assumes Ali did him in. With her bakery now closed as a crime scene, Ali takes it upon herself to find out who really killed Brandon.

I did not enjoy this at all. Murder by poison is completely overdone in cozy mysteries. This isn’t the middle ages, for heaven’s sake! Also, the EMT isn’t going to make a determination as to what killed the victim and then alert the police; it would be up to a doctor to notify the police that the death is suspicious. Since Ali’s bakery was closed down the bulk of the story dealt with her amateur investigation. I thought she was too quick to jump to conclusions, alienating other characters. My favorite scene was when Ali went to talk to Fat Tony, the mobster who has taken a shine to her. The twins who own competing pizza places on either side of Seaside Sweets also provided some comic relief.

Favorite lines:
♦ She loved baking because it spread joy.
♦ “Quite a pickle we’ve found ourselves in, huh?”
♦ Sharing a pizza with the mob was the last thing Ali really wanted to be doing.


Disappointingly ho-hum. Two stars.
chez_jae: (Books)
To Fetch a Felon (A Chatty Corgi Mystery #1)To Fetch a Felon by Jennifer Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I completed the book To Fetch a Felon about an hour ago. I tried to finish last night, but it was late, and my eyes were getting heavy. Hee! The book is the first in author Jennifer Hawkins’ “Chatty Corgi” mystery series, featuring Emma Reed, who longs to open her own tea shop, and her corgi, Oliver. Emma can hear Oliver speak, although no one else can.

Emma has left London and her stressful job in finance behind. She returned to the village in Cornwall where her family spent holidays when she was a child. Emma has her eye on the old tea shop in the village, which has been closed for years. Unfortunately, she has a run-in with the current owner of the building when the woman scolds Emma for allowing Oliver off-leash. To make amends (and hopefully to get back on Victoria’s good side), Emma bakes some scones for her. When she arrives at Victoria’s cottage, however, she finds her dead. As a child, Emma was always looking for some mystery to solve, which is why she is curious about this case. When another visitor to the village, a journalist, asks if she’d like to investigate with him, Emma takes him up on it. Both of them are convinced that a local cold case has factored into the current crime. Someone in the village is keeping secrets, and it may take a corgi’s nose to sniff out the criminal.

This was cute and fun. What I really liked is that, although Oliver can “talk” to Emma, he relates information based on his own, canine nature. He has his own names for people (“Nervous Lady”, “Pale Man”, etc), and most of what he discerns is through scent. Of course, Emma doesn’t dare get caught carrying on a conversation with Oliver, and she struggles to find a way to pass on information that he gleaned from his nosing around. Characters were portrayed wonderfully, and I enjoyed meeting new people along with Emma. The narrative proceeded at a smooth yet quick pace, and the story was engaging.

Favorite lines:
♦ “It sounds like you’re ready to open yourself to some new chances and some old dreams.”
♦ “I’d hate for my bit of breaking and entering to keep me up past bedtime.”


Lively and entertaining, four stars.

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The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (A Domestic Diva Mystery, #1)The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Today I finished reading my extra/spare book: The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis. It’s the first in the author’s “Domestic Diva” cozy mystery series. The main character is Sophie Winston.

Divorced event planner Sophie is determined to beat Natasha Smith in the local Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown competition. Sophie and Natasha have been rivals since school, and while Natasha now has her own business and Sophie’s ex-husband, Sophie is confident she can win. Her careful planning is thrown for a loop, however, when she discovers a dead man in a dumpster behind the grocery store. When the police find Sophie’s photo and contact information in the dead man’s car, she becomes a person of interest. Sophie is determined to put the incident behind her and get ready, not only for the competition, but also for a house full of Thanksgiving guests. After one disaster after another befalls not only Sophie, but several people in her orbit, she ends up hosting her ex, Mars, along with his mother, his brother and sister-in-law, Natasha, and Bernie, Mars’ friend. Not only is Sophie up to the challenge, but she’s also determined to figure out who’s behind all the misfortune.

Wow, there was a metric sh*t ton of things going on in this book: murder, attempted murder, house fire, breaking and entering, a stalker, and a peeping tom. It was almost too much. However, the author kept it together, and the individual threads wove into a neat finish. Characters were portrayed well. I liked that Sophie and Mars did not have a contentious relationship (they even shared custody of their dog!). Sophie’s friend/neighbor, Nina, was amazing. The author introduced a minor hint of the paranormal, which I enjoyed. What I didn’t enjoy was the meddling Sophie’s mother did in an effort to get Sophie and Mars back together.

Favorite line: A killer was on the loose and these two were playing matchmaker?

An engrossing read—four stars.

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Dearly Depotted (A Flower Shop Mystery, #3)Dearly Depotted by Kate Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I only had a small portion of my “work” book left to read, so I brought it home Friday and finished it this weekend. The book was Dearly Depotted, which is the third “Flower Shop” mystery by Kate Collins. The main character is Abigail “Abby” Knight, who owns and operates a floral/gift shop called Bloomers.

Abby has several hats to wear at her cousin, Jillian’s, wedding: bridesmaid, florist, and now she’s been tabbed with keeping an eye on the groom’s grandmother. When Grandma Osborne doodles off, Abby tracks her down to the gazebo outside the reception, where she stumbles across a dead body. The victim is Jack Snyder, who got into a fight with another wedding guest earlier and was ousted, and who apparently returned. Since Snyder had no shortage of enemies, the police are looking at several suspects, including the gentleman friend of Abby’s employee, Grace. Grace implores Abby to help clear Richard’s name, and Abby reluctantly agrees. Now she’s following up on leads, questioning other guests, and trying to pry information out of the police and the county prosecutor. At least Marco, an actual PI, has agreed to help. The fact that he’s easy on the eyes is simply an added bonus.

While I have to admire Abby’s pluck and enthusiasm, she sure does some stupid things. It’s a wonder no one murdered her while she was investigating. Both Jillian and Abby’s mother are complete ditzes, and I wanted to knock their heads together. Characters were three-dimensional, including new/transient ones, and the plot progressed quickly. It would have been nice to see Abby doing less investigating and more living/working.

Favorite lines:
♦ My cell phone rang. JILLIAN CALLING, it said, which could only have been worse if it had been Satan on the line.
♦ Her golden eyes gazed out at the world with a look of keen intelligence, belying the SPACE FOR RENT sign behind them.
♦ “If she were wound up any tighter her brain would squeak.”
♦ “If it isn’t New Chapel’s handsomest deputy prosecutor, and if you don’t believe me, ask him.”
♦ “Morgan is so conceited, he’s jealous of his own reflection.”
♦ I was so far from smooth I could have sanded the bark off a tree.


Enjoyable, and interesting enough that I couldn’t wait the weekend to find out how it finished. Four stars.
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Death in a Budapest Butterfly (A Hungarian Tea House Mystery #1)Death in a Budapest Butterfly by Julia Buckley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I finished reading Death in a Budapest Butterfly last night. It’s book 1 in author Julia Buckley’s “Hungarian Tea House” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Hana Keller, who run’s Maggie’s Tea House with her Hungarian mother and grandmother.

Hana and her family have made a success of their business, which features European-style high teas. At one such event, a guest is poisoned, putting the tea house’s reputation on the line. Worse, the poison was delivered via Hana’s most prized teacup, a valuable Anna Weatherly butterfly cup. Not only do the police claim it as evidence, but they set about questioning the guests, along with Hana, her mother, and her grandmother. It’s Hana’s grandmother, Juliana, who is renowned for her ability to read tea leaves and tell the guests their fortunes. Hana is eager to see the case resolved. She asks questions and relates what she learns to Detective Wolf, who’s in charge of the investigation. When danger comes to her family, Hana is even more determined to bring the killer to justice.

This was a compelling read. I’m not familiar with Hungarian culture, so it was interesting to learn about it, along with Detective Wolf. Hana is somber and serious, but fiercely devoted to her family. I enjoyed her interactions with her brother’s girlfriend, Margie, who’s introverted to the point of agoraphobia. All of the characterizations were superb, and the plot moved at a steady pace, making sense as events unfolded along the way.

Favorite lines:
♦ I had developed an interest in all things tea, especially teacups, which to me were like jewels, tiny treasures, and individual pieces of art.
♦ “I don’t really need a man, but if I run across a great one I’ll give him a try.”
♦ “There’s not a lot of crime at tea parties, as a rule.”
♦ “Your cats look like executioners.”
♦ “Can you really picture one of these old ladies committing murder?” // “Of course I can. They’re a scary batch of Old County women, full of superstition and paprika-scented resentment.”
♦ “You’ve known this guy for like twenty minutes, and you’ve already connected romantically and had a fight?”
♦ “The police just have to solve a mystery, like Nancy Drew or the Scooby-Doo gang or something.”


Evocative and engrossing, five stars.

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Murder at the Blarney Bash (Beacon Bakeshop, #5)Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars





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Last night I completed the book Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah. This is the fifth in the “Beacon Bakeshop” cozy mystery series. The main character is baker Lindsey Bakewell.

As St Patrick’s Day approaches, Lindsey is busy creating an amazing array of themed goodies for her business, the Beacon Bakeshop. She’s also making items for the grand opening of a new, Irish-themed shop in town, owned by her boyfriend’s uncle, Finnigan O’Connor. Finn and his daughter, Colleen, have recently moved to Beacon Harbor from Ireland. Lindsey and many of the locals are bemused by Finn’s tall tales, but when he claims to have tracked a leprechaun and found his pot of gold, things take a turn for the bizarre. Lindsey herself swears she saw a leprechaun in town, and an employee at the Village Hall claims it was a leprechaun that attacked one of her co-workers. When the leprechaun himself is found murdered, Finn becomes a prime suspect. Not helping matters is the fact that he refuses to reveal where he found the gold, nor where he’s stashed it for safekeeping. Soon Lindsey and Rory are on the case, trying to create a timeline of the leprechaun’s movements, not only to discover who he was and what he was doing in town, but also to prove that Finnigan didn’t kill him.

This was very appropriate for the season, what with leprechauns and pots of gold, etc. The plot moved quickly and held my attention. In fact, I even dreamed about this book one night as I sought to make sense of it in my sleep. LOL! Characterizations were superb, and the baked goodies were making me drool. Nothing much made sense until the end, but it all came together neatly.

Favorite lines:
♦ Blood and glitter were definitely not a good mix. It was highly disturbing and looked utterly surreal.
♦ From now on Betty’s green Jell-O salad ought to be an Irish tradition.
♦ “The last one took him for all he was worth, the hoor.”
♦ “In the immortal words of Mr T, I pity the fool.
♦ “They say that extreme wealth warps one’s sense of reality, but how warped do you have to be to go around clubbing the fairy folk?”
♦ “My night has been a bloody hellscape of leprechaun-driven lunacy!”


Alas, we also had the ‘didn’t realize I was holding my breath’ line: I exhaled, not realizing I’d been holding my breath.

Compelling and enchanting—five stars!
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Fatal Flowers: A Flower House Mystery (Flower House series, 3)Fatal Flowers: A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I had very little left to read of the book I’d taken to work, so I brought it home and finished it this evening. It was Fatal Flowers, which is the third installment in author Jess Dylan’s “Flower House” mystery series. The main character is Sierra Ravenswood, owner of the local floral shop, Flower House.

Sierra is excited when she's asked to do the wedding flowers for the mayor’s daughter. It will provide a nice boost to her bottom line, as well as generating exposure for Flower House. It doesn’t take long for Sierra to discover why the initial florist quit—the wedding planner is an egotistical terror to work with. None of the other vendors like Taz either, but they all seem willing to go with the flow if it means business. During a pre-wedding meeting at the mayor’s mansion, Sierra finds Taz in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. He whispers a garbled message before dying. Not long after, the bride pulls a runner, and her mother begs Sierra to look into both the murder and Marissa’s mysterious disappearance. Sierra reluctantly agrees, but the questions she’s been asking are making someone nervous, much to the chagrin of her family, friends, and her kinda-sorta boyfriend, Calvin. Sierra, however, is determined to see it through.

This is the first I’ve read in the series, but I didn’t feel lost at all, and the author didn’t spoil previous books. Characterizations were done well, and the plot had good pacing. I wish we’d seen more of Sierra doing things other than investigating, however. The bulk of the narrative focused on her sleuthing; we seldom saw her at work or spending time at home or socializing.

Favorite lines:
♦ It was just life being life—unpredictable, messy, and inconvenient at times—in between all the magic and beauty.
♦ “If you poke a hornet’s nest, what do you think’s going to fly out? Butterflies?”


Good read, four stars

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A Tiger's Tale (Call of the Wilde #2)A Tiger's Tale by Laura Morrigan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Last night I finished reading A Tiger’s Tale by Laura Morrigan. It’s the second in her “Call of the Wilde” series, featuring psychic animal behaviorist, Grace Wilde.

Grace is called in to work with a tiger that has treed a veterinarian. As she uses her psychic ability to connect with the tiger, Boris, Grace learns he’s agitated because he witnessed one of the teen volunteers at the sanctuary get kidnapped. Grace’s police officer boyfriend, Kai, knows about her secret ability, but he can’t launch an investigation on the word of a tiger. The girl’s parents, however, are convinced she’s simply run away again and will turn up when she’s ready. Grace is unwilling to let it go, and she’s soon chasing down leads and questioning people in the girl’s life. Her investigation puts her on the radar of some shady criminals, and Grace must rely on more than her psychic ability to stay alive.

Fun and intriguing. I was reluctant to set this book aside. Grace is an endearing character. She relates much better to animals than to people, which makes her come across as aloof to those she’s just met. Characters were portrayed wonderfully, including the animals. I especially like Grace’s kick-ass sister, Emma. Plot was fast-paced and moved along smoothly.

Favorite lines:
♦ It wasn’t that I lacked the ability to dress myself. The issue was dressing myself up.
♦ It didn’t matter how many times you heard it, a lion roaring that close made the caveman inside want to haul ass in the opposite direction.
♦ Great, I had to chitchat. I sucked at chitchat.
♦ The last thing I wanted was to be the victim of a misguided donkey stomp.
♦ Cats are like the kung fu masters of the kiss-off.
♦ I still had a habit of being closed-off, even cold, to those I didn’t know or like.
♦ “You’re right. I’m a shenaniganist.”
♦ “The statistics are clear when it comes to murder and married couples.” // “Here’s to being single.”


Fabulous! Five stars!

Incidentally, this was the book I’ve been tearing my house apart looking for. Success!
chez_jae: (Books)
A Deadly Turn (A Maple Ridge Cozy Mystery, #2)A Deadly Turn by Paulette Brewster

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I finished an ebook last night. It was A Deadly Turn by Paulette Brewster, and it’s the second in her “Maple Ridge” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Liz Marsh, who owns and operates a B&B as well as a farmette.

Liz is settling into her life in bucolic Maple Ridge, VT. Life is going well, until her friend, librarian Shelly, must referee two groups who are vying for use of the library’s community room. On top of that, Shelly has been receiving threats in the library’s drop box. Worst of all, however, is the escalating feud between two of the town’s elder statesmen: Roger and Cyrus. When one of them ends up dead, Liz can’t help but think it was more than a mere heart attack that killed him. In the meantime, her Aunt Esme shows up out of the blue to visit, and Liz’s milk cow, Myrtie, is misbehaving. She has a lot on her plate, but Liz is up to the challenge.

I liked the story well enough, but Spoilers! ) Characterizations were fine, and the plot moved at a good pace.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Most of the time I smell like a barn and look like a whirlwind just whipped past me.”
♦ She never believed a lady should openly smirk, but it was so difficult to avoid, once in a great while.


“Holding breath” line: Liz let the air out of her lungs in a whoosh, not even realizing that she’d been holding it in.

Entertaining, but average. Three stars.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Snow Place for Murder (Mountain Lodge Mysteries #3)Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Since I have the day off, I finished reading Snow Place for Murder this morning. It’s the third “Mountain Lodge” mystery by author Diane Kelly. The main character is Misty Murphy, owner/operator of the Mountain Lodge in North Carolina.

Nigel Goodwin, a property developer from England, has booked the Mountain Lodge for a week as he attempts to woo investors for a proposed ski resort not far from Misty’s lodge. While she’s pleased with the full booking, Misty is somewhat concerned about how a new resort may affect her business. She’s not the only one—several locals have voiced opposition as well. In the meantime, Misty’s sons have joined her at the lodge while on college break. They’re there to help their mother and get in some runs down the local ski hill. When they go sledding down a small slope in back of the lodge, the boys discover the frozen body of Nigel Goodwin. Now the pressure is on to find a killer before the guests check out of the lodge at the end of the week.

A likable story. It was set around Christmas, but the holiday wasn’t mentioned much so I didn’t feel off for reading it in February. I enjoy Misty’s brand of sleuthing, which typically amounts to doing some research online and reporting her finds to local law enforcement. She also reports anything she overhears that may have relevance. The investors were an interesting, diverse group of characters, and the familiar characters are all people you’d like to know. The plot didn’t pelt along, but it unfolded at a steady pace that made sense as it went along. There was, however, one horrific editing error:SPOILER )

Favorite lines:
♦ “Can I get you a cup of coffee before you ruin my day?”
♦ I was straining so hard to hear their conversation it was a wonder I didn’t suffer an aneurysm.


Very good (for the most part!). Four stars.
chez_jae: (Books)
Fur Love or Money (Second Chance Cat Mystery)Fur Love or Money by Sofie Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I squeaked out one last book for the month, finishing Fur Love or Money by Sofie Ryan. It’s the 11th installment in the “Second Chance Cat” mystery series, starring Sarah Grayson.

Sarah and her friend Rose are visiting another young friend when their dog leads Sarah to a storm cellar…and a dead body. The victim, Ian Stone, was already presumed dead, although many thought he faked his death after swindling investors out of millions of dollars. It seems they were right, but now Ian is dead for certain. Soon, Charlotte’s Angels, the senior citizen sleuthing group led by Rose’s beau, Mr Peterson, is on the case. It seemed plenty of people wanted Ian dead, from those he duped to his former wife to his half-sister. It’s going to take some clever investigating to get to the bottom of this case.

The story moved along at a quick pace, interspersed with snippets of Sarah’s downtime. The author dropped one small clue that helped me figure out who dunnit, but I enjoyed reading along as it played out. Characters were portrayed well, and the narrative was sprinkled with humor and romance.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Is it an official meeting if we don’t have tea and cake?”
♦ “I like those two chairs,” I said. // “You like every chair you see. They’re something to sit on, not two kittens.” // “Fine. Just make sure they go to a good home and I want to say goodbye to them before they leave.”
♦ “Do I get to wear a disguise and a wire?” // “No. No disguise and no wire.” // “That doesn’t sound like fun at all.”
♦ “If Earth is flat, why haven’t all the oceans drained away by now?”


And this clunker: I walked down the driveway to meet the officer who was driving and let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding when I saw that I knew him.

Very good, four stars
chez_jae: (Books)
Batten Down the Belfry (House-Flipper Mystery #4)Batten Down the Belfry by Diane Kelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I've just completed the book Batten Down the Belfry by Diane Kelly. It's the fourth "House-Flipper" mystery, with main character Whitney Whitaker.

Whitney and Buck, her cousin and business partner, have just purchased an old church and parsonage for back taxes. Whitney envisions turning the church into an entertainment venue and repurposing the parsonage house as a restaurant. They don't even have a chance to begin work before the man who owns the surrounding acreage arrives to accuse them of trespassing on his property. He says he filed an adverse possession claim and that the five acres belong to him. Whitney and Buck turn the matter over to their title company and begin work, all the while hoping that Nolan Sibley's claim doesn't hold up. In the meantime, the man who delivered the replacement stained glass windows is found dead in the belfry. Local police determine he was murdered, casting another shadow over the property and the proceedings. Whitney can't resist getting involved in the investigation as she seeks to clear her name and get justice for the victim.

First things first: as someone who's spent the bulk of my employment years working real estate in one form or another, I had questions. )
I'm not saying the author didn't do her research, but she should have spoken to a friendly neighborhood title company to get some perspective.

Real estate rant aside, the story was fast-paced and entertaining. Whitney was depicted working and relaxing in equal measure to investigating. I like that in a cozy mystery. In prior books in the series, I found her to be impetuous to the point of stupidity, and this one was no departure. I am also dismayed that this is their fourth flip (fourth book, fourth flip) and each of their projects has involved someone being murdered on site. Egad! I'd quit the business after the second incident, I think. I can only hope that future books in the series have some poor sod getting murdered at the lumberyard or the thrift mall. Eesh. Finally, since I'm in a ranty mood:
SPOILERS )

Favorite line: What is family for if not to tease relentlessly?

The book was entertaining, filled with twists and turns and things that did not seem at all related at first, and it kept my attention. I'd like to give it 3.5 stars. Since I can't, I'll round up to 4.

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