by Cynthia Chow & Sandra Murphy

This week we have reviews of more wonderful cozies, some with a Halloween or supernatural touch since many are still celebrating Halloween, and a touch of Christmas-The Tattered Cover: A Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams, Death at the Door: A Ruby and Cordelia Mystery by Olivia Blacke, Sugar and Spite: A Witch City Mystery by Carol J. Perry, and Death on Dickens Island by Allison Brook. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win copies of all 4 books and links to purchase them from Amazon at the end of each review.

The Tattered Cover: A Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams
Review by Cynthia Chow

After a traumatic event that left her scarred both inside and out, Nora Pennington found solace in the healing community of Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Since then, she has used her bibliotherapy skills and her bookstore, Miracle Books, to do the same for others by matching readers with the exact books they need for comfort. For Halloween the town is hosting a Fun and Fright Night with family friendly activities, while Nora plans a book signing at Miracle Books by psychic medium Lara Luz. After the event promoting her own book Lara Luz has agreed to hold a small session for six clients in need of contacting the dead, but ominous signs would seem to indicate that it will not go well. Unfortunately for Nora, a mystery writer whose own author event was disrupted by Lara, and especially for Lara herself, Halloween proves to be deadly when her body is found in the bookstore right after a brief power outage.

It doesn’t take long for Nora to uncover that the six attendees of Lara’s readings all had reasons to resent or dislike her, including Miracle Springs Deputy Paula Hollowell. The deputy hasn’t been shy about her loathing of Nora either, but Sheriff Grant McCabe refuses to hear anything negative about his K9 deputy. Nora has to admit to her boyfriend Grant that she and Hollowell have become a bit petty in their interactions, but the deputy has been doing her best to inhibit Nora and her friends’ investigations in a number of murders. At least distracting Nora is the pregnancy of her friend Estella, which delightfully transforms into what is definitely not a shotgun wedding but a celebration welcoming the baby into a loving marriage. As the holidays roll towards Christmas Nora will have her hands full as she discovers Lara’s personal journal, which includes codes that provide even more motives for wanting the questionable psychic dead.

This eighth in the series guides readers through the holiday seasons, leading up to a Christmas full of welcome gifts for both the characters and fans of this series. Nora has grown stronger as both her physical and mental scars recede, and she has built an affectionate and supportive community within the charming town of Miracle Springs.

The novel itself becomes a meta commentary on mysteries as the Secret, Book, and Scone Society book club and support group discuss how readers experience books differently, and how the why is often more important than the who. Numerous suggested reading lists are included at the end to intrigue readers even more, celebrating the love of books through a variety of genres. As they say, the mystery is always important, but it’s the characters and their lives which really are the reasons to return to a series again and again. This is a wonderful holiday read and a mystery sure to please from Halloween all the way to Christmas day.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Death at the Door: A Ruby and Cordelia Mystery by Olivia Blacke
Review by Cynthia Chow

After moving from Baltimore to Boston to flee a bad breakup, 20-year-old Ruby Young is settling in at her apartment and new job as an office manager at TrendCelerate. That she still doesn’t know what the company does (something involving data) is less surprising than the fact that she has settled into a genial relationship with the roommate whose job she has taken, the now ghostly Cordelia Graves. Despite being unable to see Cordelia unless Ruby is drunk or half awake, they have established a communication system through refrigerator magnets, and Etch-a-Sketch, and a lot of nudging.

Cordelia can make herself felt and actually move items around, but it’s her ability to spy on people that has them once again involved in a murder. When Beantown Deli deliveryman Marty Spencer is found dead in the TrendCelerate bathroom though, she wants to keep Ruby away from anything involving the man whom Cordelia knows was a drug dealer. It was well known at TrendCelerate that Marty provided “not hard” drugs like Adderall, Viagra, and painkillers, so no one was particularly shocked that he overdosed. What is a surprise is when, during Cordelia’s ghostly visit to the morgue, she learns that his death was actually a murder, with one of those at TrendCelerate the most likely suspect.

Not wanting her living roommate to become another ghost, Cordelia does what she can to protect the overly enthusiastic Ruby from investigating. Not only is the handsome new neighbor also an employee of a rival company, most of Ruby’s coworkers were customers of Marty’s more illicit delivery services. To help Ruby stay on the living side of existence Cordelia consults Harp, the only other ghost she has ever encountered and whose death in the 80s has given him 40 years of ghostly experience. This investigation would seem enough to keep both Ruby and Cordelia busy, but an unexpected visit from Cordelia’s charming, ex-con brother complicates their “lives” and has the women arguing about whether or not to reveal his sister’s spectral existence.

This second in the series continues to delight with its unique depiction of ghostly lore and how Cordelia and Ruby formed a supportive relationship. The naïve, non-drinking Ruby and much more cynical Cordelia wouldn’t seem to be compatible friends, especially when Ruby learns of Cordelia’s affair with her married boss and her dabbling in recreational drugs. Cordelia can’t help but be moved by Ruby’s optimism though, nor be unmoved by Ruby’s insistence that Cordelia died not by suicide but was murdered. Cordelia’s inability to remember the events leading up to her own death had her convinced that she did indeed succumb to her depression, but the growing conspiracy within TrendCelebrate convinces her that perhaps someone had reason for wanting her dead. Chapters alternate between narratives from the women’s viewpoints, contrasting their personalities and especially Cordelia’s struggles to communicate and shorting out anything electronic when too close. The extremely complicated relationship between Cordelia and Ruby is as fascinating as the plot, which continues elements from the earlier installment and leads up to the next.

Readers will be eager to see where the plot goes from here, especially as another character discovers Cordelia’s existence and is sure to complicate everything. This is a fun, very unusual paranormal mystery to enjoy for Halloween or anytime of the year.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Sugar and Spite: A Witch City Mystery by Carol J. Perry
Review by Cynthia Chow

Unsurprisingly, being known as the “Witch City” means that Halloween is always a massive holiday in Salem, Massachusetts. Now that she’s taken on the position as the program director for WICH-TV, Lee Barrett Mondello has the sweet task of visiting local candy shops to videorecord them and take as many free samples for the studio as possible. After encountering a number of murders since returning to Salem as a young widow, a candy store assignment for Lee should be a safe option now that she and her new husband are expecting a baby. On a visit to Casa de Chocolatte though, Lee discovers in the rebranded former Penny Parker Candy Shop the body of Shirley Parker’s ex-husband in the basement’s cold room.

Barney Bingham was something of a leech who came to Salem with his much younger girlfriend to ask Shirley for more alimony, making either her or her son Hugh likely suspects. Knowing Lee’s record of meddling in investigations, Shirley asks the former television call-in psychic to help prove their innocence, but Lee being seven months pregnant has both her and her police detective husband reluctant to risk the danger.

Since coming to Salem Lee has dreaded looking into reflective surfaces in fear of triggering her scrying power, which allows her to see visions of recent events or even soon-to-be-dead persons. Already over-the-moon about the birth of their first child together, Pete and Lee have learned that one of the benefits of being pregnant is that her morbid visions have thankfully stopped. Lee’s own Aunt Ibby, the town librarian and a font of information, enlists her usual collaborators who are a cross between The Golden Girls and Charlie’s Angels to use their connections and talent for gossip to get the information Pete officially can’t and Lee shouldn’t for her safety.

This 15th in the series delivers a satisfying resolution and epilogue that could serve as a finale for the series, which would be a shame but does wind up things so wonderfully for all of these beloved Salem characters. While the mystery that becomes known as the Chocolate Shop Murder becomes increasingly complicated as suspects pop up and must be investigated, the true lure of this novel is Lee and her supportive community. While a baby shower is prematurely interrupted by more important business, Lee still has the time to settle in with her new life and even better gifts. Assisted as usual by the eerie, all-knowing cat O’Ryan, Lee and her tarot-reading friend River explore the more paranormal side of Salem and its renowned reputation for all things witchy. Even as the Halloween season comes and goes as it enters the next holiday season, readers will enjoy spending time in their favorite Witch City and its enchanting furry and human residents.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

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).

Death on Dickens Island by Allison Brook
Review by Sandra Murphy

Delia has moved home after years away from Dickens Island. She’s a single mom, unfortunately separated from her son for most of his life. He’s been raised by her parents. Her father owns a general store, says he wants to upgrade the merchandise, but is against every change she suggests. Her mother had the same problem with him and has decamped to Delia’s apartment in New York until he makes up his mind. He does love to avoid conflict.

Oblivious to his own marital situation, her dad wants Delia to intervene in her aunt and uncle’s troubles – and they’re much louder and more public in nature since both are involved in the politics of the island. She wants progress; he wants nostalgia. Same problem as her parents, but on a larger scale.

The islanders want to buy a farm and use it as a farm and educational thing. One of the chefs wants it for a restaurant. The buildings are dilapidated and would have to be renovated to show how farming used to be or torn down if an upscale casino and resort are added. There’s also the rumor that Captain Kidd buried treasure on the island and it’s never been found—but there was a skeleton where X marked the spot.

When a council member is found dead before any decision is made, Delia is pushed into the midst of the investigation again as her uncle is a possible murder suspect. Add in a treasure map, a secret room, a vandalized house, the possibility of a romance, plus a ghost, and Delia’s got her hands full solving both island and personal problems.

This is the first in a new series. Delia does get drawn into the drama of others but not by choice. It’s just the easier option, better than arguing. Her son is getting used to living with her and it takes adjustment on her part as well. And then there’s the dog…who could resist? I look forward to more tales of Dickens Island.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copies of all 4 books, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “spooky cozies” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 8, 2025. U.S. residents only, and 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.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s the editor for the upcoming Yeet Me in St Louis, an anthology with stories from twelve St. Louis writers. Her own short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, and anthologies such as The Perp Wore Pumpkin and I (Almost) Died in Your Arms. ‘Lucy’s Tree’, published in The Eyes of Texas, won a Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society. She lives in St. Louis with Ozzie the Westie Impersonator and his sidekick in crime, Louie the Cat.

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.