Melanie Travis has her hands full with two sons, ages 15 and six. Davie, the oldest, likes to ‘encourage’ Kevin in his demands. As if he needed encouragement! Now Kevin’s seen a Great Dane at a dog show and has decided he needs a big dog of his own. It doesn’t matter that there are five standard poodles and one spotted mixed breed (who is Kevin’s dog) living in the house.
Murder in an Italian Piazza is the third book in Michael Falco’s cozy mystery series featuring Bria Bartolucci, a young widow who runs a Bed and Breakfast in picture-postcard Positano, on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. She has a precocious eight-year-old son, Marco; a very smart dog, Bravo; a big, loving but opinionated Italian family; and a growing circle of loyal friends. In the earlier books, we saw a romantic spark between Bria and Luca, Positano’s police chief and brother of her best friend, Rosalie. Now they are officially a couple.
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.
Halloween should be a night of kids, candy, and fun but it doesn’t always turn out that way. Lucy Stone and friends put on a big party as a fundraiser but she misses having kids come to the door, all dressed up. This year, she has more candy than kids. To make sure there’s not tempting leftover candy she’d eat herself, she empties the bowl for the last kid. Besides, he looked like he needed it.
Ali always wanted to be a police officer but the gap between what she imagined it would be and the reality of it is wide. She’s not complaining or unhappy but…
Of course, she gets to work with PD Wilson, her Springer Spaniel. They’re in Heft, a small town in Yorkshire, which is busier than you’d think.
This week we have reviews of 3 more fun cozy food mysteries for your end of summer feast-Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns, Tea with Jam and Dread: A Tea by the Sea Mystery by Vicki Delany, and Sour Crime Donuts by Ginger Bolton.
Charlie and Helen Louise are married, with the blessing of his Maine Coon cat, Diesel. They are honeymooning in Dublin, Ireland and then on to the home of the O’Brady’s, sort-of-relatives of Helen Louise. Diesel, of course, is traveling with them while Ramses stayed home, closer to the stray bits of chicken that will surely come his way.
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.
Dee and Jeff, her ex-husband but now business partner and current best friend, own the Golden Motel. Living up to its name, gold has been discovered – again. They’re trying hard to make it a success and overcome the nickname Murder Motel. The town, Foundgold, is in endless competition with its neighbor, Goldgone, run by Verity Donner (yes, that Donner) Gillespie. Verity is a one-woman public relations agency for the town and never lets Dee forget it.
This week we have reviews of a pair of mysteries involving pets-one dogs and the other cats-Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt and A Purrfect Date by Alex Erickson.
