by Cynthia Chow
After spending ten days with Brooklyn Wainwright’s loving and eccentric family in the wine country of Dharma, she and her new husband Derek Stone are excited to be back at their home in San Francisco. Waiting there for the couple is a British first edition of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, mailed by Gwyneth Antiquities all the way from Oddlochen, Scotland. While this would be remarkable in itself, far more surprising that the tome has been sent not to book-restoration expert Brooklyn, but to security specialist and former spy Derek.
by Cynthia Chow
After leaving her life, marriage, and career as a pastry chef for a luxurious cruise ship, Juliet Capshaw has found her true happiness back in her hometown of Ashland, Oregon. Now the owner of Torte Bakeshop and it’s smaller offshoot Scoops, Jules has also become the part-owner of the winery Uva with her estranged husband Carlos. They are actually not-so-estranged anymore, as to Jules’s surprise Carlos seems to revel in their low-key life in Ashland, where the healing powers of the water and the celebration of all things Shakespeare seem to inspire and challenge him. Jules is just as proud of her young staff at Torte, and she is thrilled when her barista Andy is announced as being a contestant in the West Coast Barista Cup.
by Cynthia Chow
After inheriting the Spirit Canyon Lodge from her late Aunt Lily, former journalist Zo Jones has been enjoying the transition into managing the Happy Camper gift shop in Spirit Canyon, South Dakota. To celebrate Halloween, Zo has organized an in-store book talk and signing by inspirational author Marianne Morgan. Although “Embracing Your Inner Witch” is meant to motivate women into reclaiming their female power, Marianne readily admits to being an actual practicing witch. While suitable for the town’s annual Spirit Spooktacular weekend celebration, it does stir up a mild protest from the town’s busy-body helicopter mom.
by Sandra Murphy
& Cynthia Chow
This week we have another fun group of mysteries for your summer reading-Beyond a Reasonable Donut: A Deputy Donut Mystery by Ginger Bolton, Independent Bones: A Sarah Booth Delany Mystery by Carolyn Haines, and Punning with Scissors: A Crossword Puzzle Mystery by Becky Clark.
by Cynthia Chow
Madeline Maclin has done what she can to move past her identity as the Miss Parkland, North Carolina’s beauty pageant winner. Not only does she own and run her Madeline Maclin Investigations, Madeline has begun to attract a reputation as a talented artist. While her mother has never truly accepted the fact that her daughter has given up the pageant lifestyle for a career as a private detective, Cecile Maclin is using Madeline’ artwork to promote a fundraising gala. On the board of the Parkland Museum of Art, Madeline’s mother has coerced her daughter into lending pieces to be on display.
by Sandra Murphy
& Cynthia Chow
This week we have another fun group of food mysteries for your summer reading fun-For Batter or Worse: A Cupcake Bakery Mystery by Jenn McKinlay, Death Gone A-Rye: A Bread Shop Mystery by Winnie Archer, Southern Sass and a Battered Bride: A Marygene Brown Mystery by Kate Young, and Peaches and Schemes: A Georgia B&B Mystery by Anna Gerard.
by Cynthia Chow
& Eva Gates
After running away from a marriage proposal and fleeing to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Lucy Richardson finally found her dream as the Assistant Director for the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. Lucy even met her soulmate and is now engaged to the town’s mayor/dentist Connor McNeil. While they have not yet set an exact date or made any wedding plans, their friends and family are enthusiastically throwing them the perfect engagement party on Coquina Beach. Definitely not on the invitation list but arriving late anyway are Richard Lewiston the Third, his mother Evangeline, and her very barky bichon frise Fluffy.
by Cynthia Chow
It’s only been a year since Laura Bishop left a high-paying career in IT to set up her own professional home staging business in Pennsylvania, so she certainly didn’t expect to be competing for a chance at being the next home staging television star. After one of the Cozy Living TV contestants had to bow out for an illness, the crew was hard-pressed to find a replacement and Nita Martino was eager to toss her friend Laura’s name in as a last-minute replacement. While no one, especially the producer Olivia Yeager, thinks that Laura has much of a chance of winning, she can’t deny the value of publicity to promote her business after the week of challenges.
by Cynthia Chow
Minnie Hamilton adores her job as the assistant director for Lower Michigan’s Chilson’s District Library. She loves even more driving the Bookmobile throughout the lakeshore town, and it’s a testament to her success that her boss and patrons are requesting additional stops throughout the week. While bookmobile cat Eddie serves as an added attraction for patrons and reluctant readers, Minnie and her bookmobile clerk Julia Beaton are already running themselves ragged with their current schedule. They are forced to make another unexpected stop when they come across the body of a bicyclist lying in the road as another car speeds away.
by Cynthia Chow
A former event planner in Seattle, Washington, Keri Isles, never expected to find herself in the Cascade Mountains saddled with a Christmas tree farm that she most definitely didn’t want and is unprepared to maintain. That’s what happens after the dissolution of her marriage and an unfair settlement with Brian the Jerk, which is why Keri Isles is determined to make a quick sale and profit off of the property. A nearby rude archeologist and trespassing students ensures that her mission is both more difficult and necessary, but said archeologist’s death in the Beaver Pond also makes it nearly impossible. Not only does Dr. Mark Grant’s on-property demise give the Christmas Tree farm less curb appeal, Keri’s confrontation with him places her high on Deputy John Searls’s suspect list.
by Cynthia Chow
& Ellery Adams
Famous for their book-themed rooms and specializing as a resort for bibliophiles, Virginia’s Storyton Hall is about to be the site of a televised cooking competition show, A Bookish Cookoff. Six renowned American chefs will be competing against one another in book-themed challenges for bragging rights and a prize of $100,000, all hosted by young billionaire entrepreneur Mia Mallett. Before they even begin filming, there’s a fire on the archery field grounds and resort manager Jane Storyton fears that the sabotage has already begun.
by Cynthia Chow
Instead of getting ready for the next morning’s long anticipated vacation trip to Hawaii with his wife, Doc Lewis spent his last night before leaving out on a late veterinarian call to check on a colicky horse. It will be Doc’s last patient, as the next day he is found stomped to death in the chestnut stallion’s stall. Jessie Cameron had only planned on filling in for her mentor at the Riverview Park Racetrack while the Doc was on vacation for two weeks, but the park CEO immediately pressures her into making it a permanent position.
by Sandra Murphy
& Cynthia Chow
This week we have another fun group of mysteries to review as we once again play catch up! We have quite the assortment of cozies-Mrs. Morris and the Sorceress: A Salem B&B Mystery by Traci Wilton, Knitty Gritty Murder: A Knit & Nibble Mystery by Peggy Ehrhart, Cold Reading Murder: A Bridge to Death Mystery By R. J. Lee, Murder in an Irish Bookshop: An Irish Village Mystery by Carlene O’Connor.
by Sandra Murphy
& Cynthia Chow
This week we have another group of food mysteries for your mystery dining pleasure-Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle: A Death by Chocolate Mystery by Sarah Graves, Haunted Hibiscus: A Teashop Mystery by Laura Childs, Into the Sweet Hereafter: A Vintage Sweets Mystery by Kaye George, Long Island Iced Tina: A Catering Hall Mystery by Maria DiRico (aka Ellen Byron), and Murder at the Taffy Shop: A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery by Maddie Day.
