by Cynthia Chow

This week we have reviews of two more fun cozy mysteries for your end of summer reading-Death Knells and Wedding Bells: A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates and Fatal Fudge Swirl: An Ice Cream Shop Mystery by Meri Allen. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of both books and links to purchase them at the end of each review–you may not be able to see the Amazon links if you have ad blocker on.

Death Knells and Wedding Bells: A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates
Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s happening! Bodie Island Lighthouse Librarian Lucy Richardson is finally marrying Nags Head mayor Connor McNeil, and while they will be delaying their honeymoon in Paris, they still have a perfect Outer Banks wedding. Despite her many inopportune encounters with murder, she and Connor successfully make their way down the aisle to become husband and wife.

It’s not until the next day that her Aunt Joyce’s wedding date goes missing, only to later be found in a locked closet. Not-quite-a-gigolo despite his expenses all being paid by his date for the ceremony, Wayne Fortunada is not unduly mourned by the bankrolling Aunt Joyce. More concerning for Lucy is that not only does the new Detective Kyle North suspect one of Lucy’s nearest and dearest of being the murderer, he lays out the theory that her record of mystery-solving is a little too coincidental for her to ever have been just an innocent – if meddling -bystander.

Being an amateur detective is one thing, but being thought of as a possible serial killer is another. So utilizing all of her considerable librarian skills, Lucy is determined to prove her innocence and solve the murder. Family tensions are already running high since her uninvited ex-sister-in-law arrived with her own oversized Boy Toy, infuriating Lucy’s brother and leading to a family brawl. Keeping the book themes in mind, the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Bookclub has something of a Manor Mystery to solve, even including a Poe-character-named victim hidden in a closet. With the friendlier police presence taking a backseat to the far more aggressive investigations of Detective North, Lucy is on a deadline to keep her family out of jail and solve a murder before she and Connor can finally depart for their dream destination.

This 10th in the series rewards longtime fans with appearances by all of their favorite characters. Louisa Jane McKaughnan continues to be her eccentric, fake-ghost-psychic self, but she has finally settled in as an actual library staffer who doesn’t see Lucy as a threat. Lucy’s own family is often more supportive than actually helpful, but they are a delightful presence and add humor and charm to the North Carolina Island’s setting. The unbelievably prolific author of multiple series also written under her own name, Vicki Delany can always be relied upon for mysteries led by clever heroines in compelling settings. By now the author is an experienced hand at delivering satisfying cozy mysteries, ones filled with elaborate food preparations and of course an adorable cat library companion. New readers to the series may require a closer reading until they become familiar with Lucy’s family and the Bodie Island locals, but all will enjoy the satisfying conclusion and reveal that leads to the Lighthouse Librarian’s Happily Ever After ending.

Fatal Fudge Swirl: An Ice Cream Shop Mystery by Meri Allen
Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s leaf-peeping season in Penniman, Connecticut, and the Udderly Delightful Ice Cream Shop is gearing up for the tourist-attracting Halloween Happening weekend event. Now that she is no longer a librarian for the CIA (the secretive one, not the culinary one for chefs), Riley Rhodes is fully invested in her role as manager for the Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop. That doesn’t mean that she has left all of her librarian creds behind though, as she has also been enlisted in helping to catalog the Collins family letters donated to the Penniman Historical Society. Wealthy socialite Diantha Collins has returned to her hometown to marry her seventh husband, and she plans to celebrate with a pumpkin-flavored Halloween-themed ice cream wedding cake. While Riley is thrilled for the extra business, she’s less than enthusiastic that the groom-to-be also happens to be the ex-husband of Riley’s friend Mary Anne Dumas, head pastry chef at the same inn hosting the ceremony.

Things were bound to get tense, and it’s not long before Diantha’s assortment of stepchildren and children arrive for a Day of the Dead ceremony. One of them happens to be former teen heartthrob Cooper Collins, now a location scout who has selected Penniman to film the new romance-themed Skylark movie Bound for Love. The town is mostly thrilled to have the actors and film crew visiting the local hotspots, even though one seems to have a stalker and has hired the questionably competent police secretary as security. When the inevitable death does occur, it doesn’t take long for it to be declared a homicide with an intimidatingly long suspect list. Mary Anne quickly rises to the top, meaning that Riley will utilize all of her librarian and CIA undercover skills to eliminate alibis and track down motives. With Udderly Delicious in the hands of her flavor-experimenting employees, Riley sifts through social media accounts and fills in as an inn maid, conveniently allowing her to literally go through her suspects’ drawers.

While this is an undeniably tasty mystery full of tantalizing ice cream confections and even hot fudge recipes, readers should not be lulled by its deceptively sweet appearance. Angry exes, possible counterfeit schemes, and Riley’s unique background with the CIA allows her to practice investigative skills unfamiliar to the average librarian, and those talents prove to be very handy when questioning suspects and eliminating alibis. The scandal that cost her a career and broke her heart threatens to intrude on her new life, but it’s an intrusion that Riley may actually welcome. As much as Riley may claim to detest the man who torpedoed her credibility as an agent, she’s unable to deny the heartstrings she feels being pulled, especially when the handsome vet she’s dating is constantly being called away for an animal emergency.

Lightening up the tone are scenes of Riley’s disbelief at seeing her Persian feline nemesis rise to stardom and become enamored with the leading man. This delightfully complex novel throws in so many twists and red herrings that even the most jaded mystery readers will be shocked and surprised by the ending. An enviable opportunity promises another fun and delicious adventure in Riley’s future, and readers will be wanting to book the next flight out with her as they embark on a mouth-watering, gastronomic experience.

To enter to win copies of both books, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “ice cream” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 19, 2023. You must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next week.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.