This week we have a group of Christmas mysteries for holiday reading-Dying in a Winter Wonderland: A Year-Round Christmas Mystery by Vicki Delany, The Gift of the Magpie: A Meg Langslow Mystery by Donna Andrews, Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder: A Kebab Kitchen Mystery by Tina Kashian, and Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past: A Salem B&B Mystery by Traci Wilton.
Here is the latest installment of our new column, Top 5 Mysteries I Have Read During the Pandemic, this one from mystery author Marilyn Levinson (Allison Brook). As we continue to spend most of our time at home, we are all looking for book suggestions so we asked mystery authors and reviewers to share the top 5 mysteries they have read during this pandemic.
Pastry chef Lily Roberts always dreamed of opening her own traditional teashop. The opportunity to help her British grandmother Rose run her own Bed and Breakfast – not to mention Lily’s boyfriend chef coming at her with a chef’s knife – spurred Lily into finally opening Tea By the Sea in Cape Cod’s Outer Cape. Rose seems to view Lily as both her favorite relative and a lowly servant, but Lily adores being able to experiment with innovative teas and traditional British pastries. It also allows her to share a tearoom experience with her best friend Bernadette Murphy, who similarly left her corporate life in Manhattan to pursue her own dream as being a writer.
This week we have a group of mysteries set in the world of books-3 bookstores and a library-Bound for Murder: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery by Victoria Gilbert, Verse and Vengeance: A Magical Bookshop Mystery by Amanda Flower, Bookmarked for Murder: Mystery Bookshop series by VM Burns, and There’s a Murder Afoot: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery by Vicki Delany.
In their goal of being officially designated as “America’s Christmas Town,” the town of Rudolph, New York, celebrates the holiday throughout the year with its main street shops on Jingle Bell Lane specializing in Yuletide wares. This week before Thanksgiving marks the beginning of when business truly heats up, and Mrs. Claus’s Treasures owner Merry Wilkinson is preparing to focus entirely on work for the next six weeks.
After an exhausting day manning her uncle’s Cape Cod Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma Doyle – well, her Cocker Spaniel Violet, to be exact – spots West London’s Scarlet House lit up in flames. As half owner of the adjacent Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom, Gemma soon finds herself enlisted in helping to host an emergency auction in order to raise funds to repair the historical museum, as well as donating a copy of The Valley of Fear for the cause.
This week we have reviews of 5 fun pet related mysteries-Claws for Concern: A Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James, The Fast and the Furriest: A Second Chance Cat Mystery by Sofie Ryan, Death by a Whisker: A Cat Rescue Mystery by T.C. LoTempi, The Cat of the Baskervilles: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery by Vicki Delany, and Unbridled Murder: A Carson Stables Mystery by Leigh Hearon.
Four new series are coming your way, and some of your favorite authors are back with their latest offerings. Plenty here to satisfy any cozy sweet tooth. And if you’re dieting, lots of feline mysteries as well.
This week we have 5 more Christmas mysteries for your holiday reading-Hark the Herald Angels Slay: A Year-Round Christmas Mystery by Vicki Delany, Not a Creature was Purring: A Paws & Claws Mystery by Krista Davis, Slay Bells Ring: Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery by Karen Rose Smith, Yuletide Homicide>/em>: A Wiccan Wheel Mystery by Jennifer David Hesse, and The Ghost of Christmas Past: A Molly Murphy Mystery by Rhys Bowen.
Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson own the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Baker Street. Gemma takes care of the bookshop; Jayne runs Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in the adjoining space. Gemma is one of those people who notices every little detail and can sometimes be annoying about it without understanding why. Jayne is a good contrast for her as well as being a great baker.
