This week we are reviewing 4 more fun cozy mysteries--these involve bookstores, cats, Scotland, and a bed and breakfast--A Killer Romance: A Book Reads Mystery by Maggie Blackburn, Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid by Traci Wilton, Murder at a Scottish Castle by Traci Hall (Traci Hall and Traci Wilton are the same person), and Fur Love or Money by Sofie Ryan.
Gemma Rose has been back home in Meadowford-on-Smythe, a small village near Oxford, for almost two years. Some originally thought it reckless to resign from a high-paying career to fulfill the dream of opening her own business, but she’s turned the Little Stables Tearoom into a successful destination for locals and tourists who wish to partake in a true English tearoom experience.
BritBox is one of my “good” vices. It’s harmless. It’s healthy. It’s highly economical. For less than a cappuccino and a scone (monthly $6.99; special annual fee $69.99), I get endless hours of entertainment from which I can choose a sitcom, detective drama, mystery, documentary, and much more set in an urban community to the countryside and all over the Commonwealth.
It was the 80s. If you were there, you remember the fall of the Berlin Wall, big hair, Laura Ashley prints, Reagan, peg trousers, Chernobyl, the first personal computers, Thatcher, and the rise of technology.
When Delaney Nichols answered an ad asking for someone who wanted to work in a bookshop and have adventures, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Every day is a surprise. Edwin, owner of the Cracked Spine, has a lot of secrets. Most he’s willing to share with Delaney, but not all and that can cause quite a problem.
When four women decide to move to Scotland, it’s not as impulsive a move as it might sound. Janet and her husband Curtis, ex-husband and a rat, that is, owned a vacation cottage there. Janet made sure she got it in the divorce. The other women are Tallie, Janet’s daughter, Tallie’s BFF Summer, and Janet’s longtime friend, Christine, home to take care of aging and forgetful parents.
Delaney Nichols surprises even herself when her job at a small museum in Wichita, Kansas is the victim of budget cuts. She answers an ad for “a bold adventurer” who is willing to relocate to Scotland and work in a special bookshop. She and the owner, Edwin, hit it off on the phone, and the next thing she knows, she’s on her way.
In the two years since Prunella "Pru" Parke moved from Texas to England to establish a career as a head gardener, she’s not only completed two successful gardening projects, she has helped to catch several murderers and a romantic partner. Pru's life evolved from mourning the loss of her mother to finding a whole new family and reconnecting with the brother she never knew she had. The best part may be the marriage proposal by a Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector, Christopher Pearse.
Glasgow is pure dead brilliant! It is a city in Central Scotland and is known for art and culture, architecture, music and history. The best way to understand and experience Glasgow is to simply visit the great city. There are lots of things to do and see, and there is something for everyone of all ages.
Old soldiers may never die and John Rebus hopefully will never fade away. After a couple of years in retirement he’s back as a civilian consultant on cold cases (which seems to be becoming a trend in resurrecting protagonists in crime fiction).
