This week we have reviews of 3 more historical and cozy mysteries-Murder in Miniature: Maple Bishop Book Two by Katie Tietjen, Death at an Irish Village: An Irish Castle Mystery by Ellie Brannigan, and Murder Most Fowl: Food Truck Mystery by Carmela Dutra.
Book four of the Chocolate Martini Sisters Mysteries opens following the successful launch of Nicole (Nic) Earp’s yoga studio, Namaste, located in Wyatt, Arizona. All is off to a great start with enthusiastic instructors and happy patrons. Patrons like Maggie Alcott who worked at a cafe and volunteered at the local bird sanctuary. At least she did until her dead body was found by Nic’s sister Emma Banefield and their visiting Aunt Lydia.
This appropriately titled series starter had me hooked after the first chapter. Katie Chambers, our easy to like amateur sleuth, is working with literal and figurative puzzle pieces, and not all of them have to do with the mystery. Fortunately, she has a great group of friends who are willing and ready to help her. I am a fan of this kind of cozy which incorporates a cast of variously aged characters who assist the sleuth.
Having read the series starter before reading book number seven, I am familiar with Gracie’s unique situation. Please note you will not feel lost if you start with Shot Through the Tart, a cozy with a sprinkling of thriller. Grace Markley, owner of The Laughing Loaf bakery, is in WITSEC with her dad. They have been in River Grove for about two years.
This week we have reviews of 3 more fun cozies for your August reading tbr-Death and the Librarian: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery by Victoria Gilbert, For Duck’s Sake by Donna Andrews, and That Missing Piece Is Killing Me by Roz Noonan.
Maeve Gardner is a writer, not that anyone would know it even if they have read her recent release. You see, Maeve is the ghostwriter for the PI Simon Hill series originally written by Harlon Oak, who has succumbed to dementia. She spends days writing about sleuthing and sometimes mapping out various murder scenarios including her ex-boyfriend, Gavin. So why wouldn’t she be able to piece together what happened to the 50,000 quid which disappears while Gavin, whom she hasn’t seen in weeks, is found floating in the water next to her boat.
This week we have reviews of several more cozies for your summer reading-The Spirit Moves: A Haunted Haven Mystery Book 4 by Carol J. Perry, No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack, Doggone Bones by Carolyn Haines, An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murders: A Bainbridge Island Mystery by Lynn Cahoon, and Grave Words: Deadly Deadlines Mystery, Book Two by Gerri Lewis.
Night of the Living Bread, book four of the Sugar and Spice Mystery series, is a culinary cozy crafted to feed your desire for armchair sleuthing and provide great recipes. While Sugar is the main protagonist, she would be lost and somewhat hungry without the baking genius of Dixie. They run a successful cookbook publishing business in the small town of St. Ignatius. While Dixie is usually busy in the kitchen, Sugar is busy doing paperwork for the business and questioning suspects.
This week we have reviews of 2 more historical mysteries both out in June-A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge: A Saffron Everleigh Mystery by Kate Khavari and Last Dance Before Dawn: Nightingale Mysteries, Book Four by Katharine Schellman (a LGBTQ+ historical mystery). Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of both books and links to purchase them from Amazon at the end of each review.
This week we have reviews of 2 food related mysteries and one set in a small English Village-Death by Chocolate Pumpkin Muffin by Sarah Graves, Booked for Revenge: A Tea and Tomes Mystery by Karen Rose Smith, and The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton.
