Book Review: Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay

It's the Christmas season at the Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery, and that means a lot of seasons tidings and a little mayhem! When Angie's friend, Shelby Vaughn, comes to play a residency at a local hotel, Mel isn't expecting any mayhem, but that is exactly what follows when Shelby's manager, Doc, is found dead. It's up to Angie and Mel to clear Shelby's name and save Christmas.

I LOVE this series! It was one the first cozy mystery series I discovered, and I've faithfully read every release. I'm pleased to report that Sugar Plum Poisoned, the 15th book in the series, is just as good [if not better!] than the first book.

Back to help solve the mystery is, of course, the DeLaura brothers! Angie's brothers always bring trouble in their wake and it's no exception here as they try to help with the holidays, with disastrous results! Even if mysteries aren't your thing, you NEED to read this series for the DeLaura brothers! They will definitely convince you that mysteries are cool!

Sugar Plum Poisoned is the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit, and I simply cannot wait to see what Mel and Angie get up to next!

Book Review: Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day

Welcome to picturesque Cape Cod, where it's all sunshine and trails.... that is until Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida discovers a dead body on the trail.  When her brother looks to be pegged with the crime, Mac, along with the help of her "cozy capers", sets about to find a killer and clear her brothers name!

I first discovered Murder on Cape Cod thanks to the Audible Plus catalogue. I was browsing through, looking for my next great listen and this one popped up! Within a chapter I was absolutely hooked! It had all the elements I love in a cozy, with one added extra.... the main character LOVES cozy mysteries and is part of a book club [the cozy capers] that just read cozy mysteries! This made my cozy heart soar!

The mystery of who killed Jake Lacey was thrilling! Right up until the murderer revealed themselves I had no clue who it was. There were so many elements to the mystery and I tried to pick up the pieces but even I [a very seasoned cozy reader] didn't put the pieces together before Mac and her friends. I absolutely love it when an author stumps me!

If you like mysteries about mysteries, you need to add this one to your list! There are more books in the series, and I'm excited to get to know more of the locals of Cape Cod!

Book Review: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Okay readers, prepare yourself. This is the BEST book I've read this year! I know it's not a cozy mystery and I usually review cozy mysteries, but I make an exception for John Scalzi's novels.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good mystery. I also love comic fantasy and science fiction, with Discworld and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy being among my favourites. A couple of years ago I discovered John Scalzi and he's quickly risen up my list of favourites. Last month I read Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society and absolutely loved it. Well let me tell you Starter Villain is even better. Why? Sentient cats and a$$hole dolphins! That's why!

Charlie's life isn't going too good. His parents are both dead, he is barely surviving as a substitute teacher and he's about to be evicted from his childhood home. When his Uncle passes away, and he's asked to attend his funeral, what could possible go wrong? A lot! Suddenly Charlie is thrust into a world of villains, and not the cute kids movie kind! What follows it the adventure of a lifetime, as Charlie tries to survive a world of villains, and a pod of the sweariest dolphins you will ever meet.

Doesn't this sound awesome? Well guess what? It was. It is an absolute delight a second. It's action packed and shows the best and worst side of being a villain. With many wrong turns, Charlie tries to navigate the villain world and every mis-step is absolutely hilarious! 

With an ending you won't see coming, John Scalzi's newest novel simply delights. It will have you rooting for the underdog and hoping Charlie doesn't get thrown into volcanic lava! Whether you are new to comic fantasy or you're a seasoned reader of the genre, you must pick up Starter Villain.

Book Review: Foul Play at Seal Bay by Judy Leigh

It's time for a new cozy adventure and this time it's a brand new series from Judy Leigh, the Morwenna Mutton Mysteries.

Morwenna comes from a family of wild and independent women. She loves her life as part-time librarian, part-time working at the family tea shop, and wild swimming enthusiast! However her quiet life in the Cornish village of Seal Bay is about to take a turn for the worse when local entrepreneur, Alex Trescott, is found murdered, just mere metres from her daughter's engagement party on the beach. With the local police determined to pin the crime on one of the Mutton women, it's up to Morwenna, with a little help from her friends, to investigate and find the real killer.

I love British books. Growing up in Australia I was raised on Agatha Christie and British comedies and that's where my reading tastes tend to go. I was thrilled to discover a new mystery series set in Cornwall. Let me say.... this one is an absolute delight!

With a very Cornish feel, it is easy to imagine yourself next to Morwenna, enjoying the picturesque landscape and trying to solve the mystery. This book is so authentically Cornish! The author provides a glossary at the beginning of the book to help with the Cornish terms, and after finishing the mystery I definitely felt like I wanted to escape to Cornwall for a weekend of mystery and mayhem!

The mystery itself was wonderful. Alex Trescott was not well liked in Seal Bay. Before his death he was trying to buy the tea room, and given how much the Mutton women didn't want to sell, they naturally became prime suspects in his death. However there was a lot of people that had a grievance against the victim, and it was fun trying to pick up the clues and solve the murder.

If you're looking for a little seaside escapism you can't go wrong with Foul Play at Seal Play. It has all the mystery and intrigue that I've come to expect from British mysteries and it's a delight from the first page to the last.

Book Review: Mischief Nights are Murder by Libby Klein

Are you ready to ditch the hot temperatures, and settle into Fall, with a side of spooky Halloween vibes? Then you NEED to read the latest mystery in the Poppy McAllister Mysteries by Libby Klein.

Poppy and her Aunt Ginny are back for more shenanigans in Mischief Nights are Murder. This time Aunt Ginny has roped Poppy into a Haunted House Tour. The only problem is their B&B isn't haunted! Before they know it they have a pet psychic, a paranormal researcher and a undercover tabloid reporter staying with them, all hoping for a piece of the paranormal action. When one of them dinner guests turns up dead, it is up to Poppy to do the impossible and find the killer!

I love visiting with Poppy, her boyfriend Gia [fictional crush alert!] and Aunt Ginny! Ginny is always causing strife. Right from the first book she's been making Poppy's life more interesting, but also full of murder and trouble! Mischief Nights are Murder is no different. This time Aunt Ginny has roped Poppy into hosting a week of Haunted House Tours and Dinners! Naturally with Poppy's bad luck of finding dead bodies, she strikes again with a cheating professor!

The mystery itself was intriguing, and I wasn't able to solve it before Poppy, despite trying to pick up clues along the way! However, I come back to this series again and again for the relationships. Not just Poppy and Gia's, but the shenanigans that Aunt Ginny and her biddies get up to! And of course Gia's family... especially his mama!

If you love a Halloween-centric mystery, you can't miss this one! It's simply delightful and perfect to curl up with and imagine we are in the cooler climates!

Book Review: A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke

For the residents of Cedar River, it's time for the annual Bluebonnet Festival. Nothing is more Texan than a day in the sunshine and celebrating the beautiful Bluebonnets. Our favourite record-loving DJs are looking forward to serving up the beats and caffeine at the festival. However, things go awry [don't they always around the Jessup girls!] when the mayor is found dead, and Tansy Jessup is suspected of murder! It will take all of Juni, Tansy and Maggie's best sleuthing skills to solve this one!

I just adored Vinyl Resting Place, the first book in this series. It was fresh and fun, and my first time reading a cozy mystery set in a record store. While I definitely listen to music, I'm not sure I could tell the difference between vinyl and streaming, and so Vinyl Resting Place was a learning experience for me!

A Fatal Groove picks right up and delivers a fun, fast paced mystery! 

I'm Australian, and have lived in Canada for 16 years. I've never been to Texas, but oh wow.... if Olivia Blacke's descriptions are anything to go by, I want to go! The descriptions of the Bluebonnets and the history behind the Cedar River Bank Robbery is absolutely delightful! Australians are no stranger to bank robberies, so I particularly loved how this storyline intertwined with the murder. 

Juni is an absolute delight. She's kind, determined and always there for her family and friends. It's an adventure a minute when the Jessup girls are around! 

If you're looking for a fun and fresh mystery, you need to pick up Vinyl Resting Place and A Fatal Groove. They're the coziest of cozy mysteries and the perfect summer reads!

Book Review: Crossing the Lines by Nancy Warren

Earlier this week, I started a new series... the Vampire Book Club by Nancy Warren. After absolutely devouring the Vampire Knitting Club mysteries this year, I needed a new Vampire mystery series. The first chapter of The Vampire Book Club kind of threw me a little. It brings you right into the action with Quinn Callahan being banished by her coven and sent to Ireland. I thought surely there is a prequel, and guess what? There is... Crossing the Lines!

Crossing the Lines is a prequel to The Vampire Book Club and it tells the story of how Quinn ends up being banished by her coven and sent to Ireland. It features sexy modern vampire, Lochlan Balfour.  If you've read the Vampire Knitting Club books you know who I'm talking about, and if you haven't read them.... what are you waiting for?

This was a fun, quick story. It explains Quinn's back story and gives readers a taste of the fabulous mysteries to follow. This prequel centres around what Quinn did to get into trouble, and also the death of a book club member.

The mystery itself was quick and fairly easy to solve. I was there more for the vampire! Aren't I always?

If you like vampires and mysteries, or even witches and mysteries, go grab this series today. The entire series [and the Vampire Knitting Club mysteries] are all available on Kindle Unlimited!

Book Review: Murder in the Book Lover's Loft by Ellery Adams

It's vacation time for our favourite couple at Storyton Hall, Jane Stewart and Edwin Alcott. They're headed to Oyster Bay for a little time in the sun. However, not all goes to plan when Jane discovers a body on the beach. The victim is Justin St James, a visiting author, who leaves a trail of very unhappy people in his wake. It's up to Jane, Edwin and Olivia Limoges to uncover the secrets of his death.

There is nothing I love more than Storyton Hall. The cozy bookish atmosphere that Ellery Adams has created in Storyton Hall is absolutely everything! Visiting Storyton Hall, among the pages, is akin to climbing into a comfortable chair with your favourite book! I am so thrilled that a new adventure is here to entice me once again!

I really enjoyed this mystery. Jane and Edwin team up with Olivia to solve the murder. Without giving too much away, this mystery really delves into Olivia and Jane's back story and it's an action packed mystery. 

I can't recommend this series enough! Honestly if you read mysteries and this series isn't on your shelves, what are you doing with your life? I love this series that much! It is definitely a series that you have to read in order, as the storyline about the "secret library" builds with each book. 

Murder in the Book Lover's Loft is the best in this series so far! I absolutely can't wait to see what Ellery Adams has up her sleeve next!

Audiobook Review: Down the Hatch by M.C. Beaton

Down the Hatch is the 32nd book in the Agatha Raisin mysteries... and wow! I've been with this series since the first book, The Quiche of Death. I often joke that Agatha is my "spirit sleuth". She is feisty, determined and will not quit! This makes her adventures very interesting!

Agatha is called in to investigate the death of an Admiral, when she stumbles upon his body. What follows is a fantastic adventure of mayhem and murder, as Agatha realizes just how many people wanted the Admiral dead!

Agatha never disappoints. She's always hopping from one case to another, and her stories are never boring. In this one she follows the trail of the dead Admiral, rescues a Quokka family, uncovers the paternity of a Lord, and is hunted down by a drug lord! All in one adventure! As I said, never boring! This is probably why the Agatha Raisin mysteries is one of my most favourite series! Set in the backdrop of the picturesque Cotwolds, I always know I'm going to enjoy the next few hours as I follow her adventures.

This adventure was particularly interesting. Alongside Agatha and her team, I tried to solve the mystery before she did. While I did pick up some of the clues, the final denouement was definitely a shock!

I listened to this one on audiobook, as I have for almost every story. Penelope Keith IS the voice of Agatha Raisin. I'm so happy she's narrating them again. If you've ever seen her show "Hidden Villages" you know she is right at home in the Cotwolds, and this comes across so clearly in her narration. If you've hesitated on this series I recommend picking up The Quiche of Death with Penelope's narration. It is absolute first class and makes a fantastic story even better.

It has been a while since I listened to an Agatha story [I'm still a few books behind!], and Down the Hatch reminded me why this series is such a firm favourite. Story aside, I loved the introduction which has an introduction by M.C. Beaton herself. Fans of the series will know she has now passed away, and it was very much a blast from the past to hear how this series and the Hamish Macbeth series began.

If you haven't started this series yet, you need to now! It's a first class cosy crime!

Book Review: The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall by Nancy Warren

So far this year, I have completely devoured the Vampire Knitting Club mysteries by Nancy Warren. I'm a yarn dyer by day, and a customer recommended them to me, and oh my gosh... I loved them! I have completely finished the series, so I started on the spin-off The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall. Amazing! Every bit as good as the original series.

Lucy Swift's best friend, Jennifer Cunningham, is helping her open a second yarn shop in Cornwall. Jennifer is at a loose end in her life, since leaving Boston and she is in no hurry to return. Being an avid knitter, she's more than happy to get the shop up and running and figure things out later. However, when she stumbles on a dead body before the shop is even open, she knows she is going to have to play amateur sleuth first.

I love, love, loved this book! Jennifer is a witch, a knitter and a person with a complicated past. She is an absolute joy to have an adventure with. Naturally in Cornwall she meets so many interesting characters, and it is such a fun, first adventure!

I like that while the mystery itself is solved by the end, there is still so many unanswered questions about Jennifer and the occupants of Tregrebi, Cornwall. Like the undead almost-pirate like Gryffn? He could have been a Lord but he prefers to spend his time in the sea. It's going to be so much fun to watch the locals stories unfold in future books!

The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall is simply tremendous! It can be read as a standalone, as it does introduce characters from the original series. Lucy and her undead vampire, Rafe, make an appearance. However, I'm certain after reading this one you'll want to go back and read the original Vampire Knitting Club mysteries!

Book Review: Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns

Maddy Montgomery and her Baker Street Irregulars are back for another mystery in Murder is a Piece of Cake. 

Maddy is adjusting to life in New Bison. With her bakery about to re-open and the Spring Festival just around the corner, everything is go-go-go! She's determined to follow in her Great Aunt Octavia's footsteps and win the baking contest at the Spring Festival.  However, not all goes to plan when April's husband turns up and starts threatening everyone.... even Maddy! When he turns up dead [in Maddy's bakery!], Trooper Bob starts pointing his finger at Maddy and her friends.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder, and this second instalment is even better. I just flew through this book!  Valerie Burns writes a fast paced mystery that had me wanting to read faster and faster. I couldn't put it down!!

Maddy and her friends really turn it up for this mystery, as they leave no clue behind, and hit the pavement hard trying to find out who the killer is.

The ending? Well I really don't want to give it away, but it is one that you don't want to miss! If you haven't read this series go grab both Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder and Murder is a Piece of Cake now. You don't want to miss this series. It is completely unputdownable and an absolute must read!

Book Review: Class Reunions are Murder by Libby Klein

In her first adventure, Poppy McAllister is back in her hometown of Cape May, New Jersey, for a school reunion. Her hope is to get into town, attend the reunion, and quickly go back home. However, it seems like someone else has a plan for her... frame her murder! When Barbie Pomeroy-Clark, popular cheerleader and the girl who bullied her all throughout school, is murdered, it looks like someone is trying to pin the crime on Poppy! Together with her friends and eccentric Aunt Ginny, Poppy must clear her name before time runs out.... and she spends the rest of her life behind bars!

Oh gosh, I just simply LOVED this book! While I had heard of this series before, and it was on my reading list, I was given an extra incentive to start it now, as the author is hosting a Summer Book Bingo! I never need an excuse to start a reading challenge, and I couldn't wait to dive into the first book!

From the very first page, I adored Poppy and found myself relating to her in so many ways. I've just entered middle-age myself, and know how easy it is to get into a rut. Similarly, I stick to a very strict gluten free diet, so it was interesting to watch Poppy transform not just her life around her, but also what she eats as well. 

Of course that's where the similarities end, as Poppy gets herself caught up in a murder investigation, and the investigating Officer is determined to pin the crime on Poppy! I loved every minute of the investigation. Aunt Ginny is an absolute treasure and a hoot and a half! As are her friends! 

If you enjoy fun, fast-paced cozy mysteries, you won't want to miss this one! It's an enjoyable mystery, that will have you curling your toes in delight, and craving just another page! 

Audiobook Review: How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder

How the Murder Crumbles is the first book in the Cookie Shop Mysteries by Debra Sennefelder, and culinary cozy mystery fans are not going to want to miss this one! 

Mallory Monroe is living her dream. After a career change, she is now operating a cookie shop in Wingate, Connecticut, and everything is going smoothly. That is until she has an altercation with the "Queen Bee" of Wingate, Beatrice Wright. When Beatrice turns up dead, fingers start pointing to Mallory and she must do all she can to clear her name.

LOVE! Simply and utterly LOVE! You know that feeling of biting into a delicious cookie.... crispy on the outside, melt in your mouth on the inside... well that is How the Murder Crumbles. This is the perfect first-in-a-new-series mystery!

I listened to the audiobook and I instantly fell in love with the characters and the quaint setting of Wingate.  The narrator, Ellen Quay, does a great job of drawing you into the story. Once I started I couldn't put it down, and found new chores to do, just to keep listening!

I loved the mystery. I enjoyed getting to know everyone in Wingate and trying to piece the clues together. I didn't manage to solve the mystery before Mallory, which is always a sign of a good mystery! Even after turning off the audiobook I'm still thinking about it, and all the delightful characters and places in Wingate!

If you love culinary cozy mysteries, especially those with a sweet tooth like Jenn McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery Mysteries, you are not going to want to miss this one. An absolute first class mystery and I can't wait for the next one.

Audiobook Review: Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

Get ready to meet the one and only Maddy Mongtomery!!!!

Maddy's life isn't going too well. Her groom has left her at the altar, and she feels like she's at a loose end. However, what Maddy doesn't know is her life is going to get a whole lot more interesting! When a surprise inheritance from her Great Aunt Octavia lands in her lap, she decides to head to New Bison and learn more about her inheritance and Octavia's life. What follows is an adventure you won't forget, as Maddy learns how to bake and solve a mystery!

I love, love, LOVED this audiobook! Right from the start Maddy is spoilt, but as she starts to discover this about herself she grows into a brand new person and that person is surprising in so many ways!

This story is fun and hip, especially with the social media references. If you've never read a cozy mystery before you should start RIGHT HERE! It is beyond fun, enticing and an all around great mystery.

I really enjoyed watching Maddy's development and learning more about the folks in New Bison. Especially the "Baker Street Irregulars", who might be the best sleuthing team ever!

The audiobook was fantastic. The narrator IS the voice of Maddy! Even when I switched over to the e-book [as I usually flip between the two versions], all I could hear was Jasmin's voice in my head. Her narration was absolutely spot on.

If you are looking for a new series, you have to try this one! Just perfection!

Book Review: Cat's Paws and Curses by Nancy Warren

It's time for a short Christmas [almost in July] mystery and Nancy Warren has you covered with a festive Vampire Knitting Club mystery!

Lucy is getting together with her [human] knitting circle, to enjoy good company and festive knits. However not all is festive and happy, when one of the members of the circle is killed. In a brilliant locked room mystery, Lucy must figure out who the killer is before they strike again.

I love a locked room mystery! With only a limited number of suspects and clues laid out before you, can you solve it before the amateur sleuth? In this case.... yes! It was clear early on who the victim and murderer were. However, it was enjoyable watching it play out and confirm my theory!

I listened on audio to this short story and it was great. It's the perfect length for a long dog walk. I have only one Vampire Knitting Club mystery left, and it is going to be a happy-sad moment when I start it. This series has zoomed up my list of most favourites! If you like knitting and/or supernatural mysteries then this series is for you too!

Book Review: Ribbing and Runes by Nancy Warren

Yes, I'm back again with another review for a Vampire Knitting Club Mystery. Why? Because they are just so darn good! Since discovering these books in February, I've quickly made my way through [almost] the whole series. Ribbing and Runes is the 13th book in the series, and the second last book published. 

Lucy Swift is preparing to say "I do" to her sexy vampire, Rafe. However, on the way to the altar, there is a little mystery.... in the way of a dead witch! On a shopping trip, Lucy discovers the witch that put the hex on her cousin Violet. However, what she wasn't expecting was to get caught up in a murder mystery involving alchemy!

I love this series so much! Nancy Warren deftly weaves the mystery and the "I do's" so well. I practically sped through this one, as I tried to solve the mystery before Lucy!

As the final page was read I sighed that contented sigh of a happy reader. Needless to say Lucy and Rafe get their happy ending, but I know they will have many more adventures. After all, trouble seems to follow Lucy around. More than mysteries, I'm curious what the romance department has in store for Violet!

If you love supernatural mysteries then you need to be reading this series. I've been alternating between the audiobook and the e-books [audios for dog walking] and the narrator is fantastic. No matter what format you choose you won't be disappointed.

Book Review: Herringbone & Hexes by Nancy Warren

Herringbone and Hexes is the 12th book in the Vampire Knitting Club mysteries, featuring Lucy Swift, yarn shop owner and part time amateur sleuth. This time Lucy gets mixed up in another murder case when a new friend is found dead. 

I absolutely cannot get enough of this series. I’ve been reading them since the first book, The Vampire Knitting Club, and have been bingeing them, one after another. They are the perfect series for supernatural fans that love a good murder mystery. 

 

I thought this one was particularly well crafted, especially as the murder didn’t happen until more than half way through the story. However, as Nancy Warren is a fantastic storyteller I knew it would all wrap together and it did. 

It’s hard to review the series without giving away spoilers as there is little side stories that build on each other from book to book. Like many cozy mystery series, you could read a single mystery as a standalone and not feel lost. However, you will get far more enjoyment out of this series if you read them in order. After just one book, it will soon become a favourite! 

With Lucy’s sexy vampire Rafe and a stunning whodunnit every time, it it’s easy to see why this is one of my favourite series.

Audiobook Review: Lemon Curd Killer by Laura Childs

High tea and high fashion turn deadly in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

Tea shop entrepreneur Theodosia Browning has been tapped to host a fancy Limón Tea in a genuine lemon orchard as a rousing kickoff to Charleston Fashion Week. But as fairy lights twinkle and the scent of lemon wafts among the tea tables, the deadly murder of a fashion designer puts the squeeze on things.

As the lemon curd begins to sour, the murdered woman’s daughter begs Theodosia to help find the killer. Tea events and fashion shows must go on, however, which puts Theodosia and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, right in the thick of squabbling business partners, crazed clothing designers, irate film producers, drug deals, and a disastrous Tea Trolley Tour.[summary via publisher]

Lemon Curd Killer is the 25th mystery in the popular Tea Shop Mysteries, and fans of this series are not going to want to miss this one!

Theodosia and Drayton get in the middle of another murder, when a guest at the Limon Tea for  the Charleston Fashion Week is found dead. Theodosia must follow a deadly trail of unhappy business partners, drug deals and more, as she untangles the mystery to find a killer.

Reading the Tea Shop Mysteries is just like taking a sip of my favourite Earl Grey tea, absolute happiness after one sip [or page!]. They are simply like coming home, as I've been with Theodosia since the first adventure. This one was just as delightful as the previous 24. I loved tagging along with Theodosia and Drayton and trying to solve the mystery before them. It was a tangled web, as the victim wasn't very likable... so plenty of suspects!

I enjoyed listening to Barbara McCulloh's narration. She always delivers a flawless audio experience. This was the perfect listen, on my many hours of dog walking, and was so enjoyable!

I simply cannot recommend this series enough. If you enjoy a good cup of tea, you will find these cozies just delightful!

Book Review: Dedication to Murder by Lauren Elliott

If you read one book this year, make it DEDICATION TO MURDER! The Beyond the Page Bookstore Mysteries are the absolute epitome of the perfect cozy mystery! Village-feel with Greybourne Harbour, delightful friends that you want to visit again, and a first class whodunnit.

I've been reading this series from the very first book, and every year I'm so excited to read another instalment. Having said that, this one is the very best [so far]!

Addie is finally getting her happy ever after, with a wedding to dreamy Doctor Simon! However, not all goes to plan on her wedding day! With her world upside down, Addie must put all the clues together and solve not one, but two murders.

I love, love, loved this whodunnit! The way the ending is achieved is just amazing!!! If you've read all the prior books in this series [and if you haven't what are you doing with your life?] then you are really going to love this one!!

It's hard to review this one without spoilers, so I will leave it with.... this is a fantastic read, and not one to miss! I raved about STEEPED IN SECRETS [the author's new series] and this book is even better! I absolutely can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!

Book Review: Diamond and Daggers by Nancy Warren

I've been reading a LOT of Vampire Knitting Club books this year! Over the last few months I've been devouring the series, and haven't written a review for any of them yet. So I must change this with the 11th book in the series, Diamond and Daggers.

Lucy Swift is about to get into danger [yet again], when she promises vampire and former actress, Sylvia Strand, that she will wear her famed Cartier jewels to a gala in her honor. What can go wrong? Of course, this is Lucy, so everything! During the Gala Lucy is knocked unconscious and the jewels are stolen. Sylvia is absolutely grief stricken, and Lucy and the vampires set about trying to recover the jewels.

From the very first book, The Vampire Knitting Club, I have been absolutely smitten with this series. The mysteries are always tantalizing, and the chemistry between vampire Rafe and witch Lucy, is never boring! This one was especially good, as it delved into Sylvia's back story as a famous silent movie star, and what people would do to get their hands on the jewels.

While I did manage to unravel the mystery before Lucy, I was glued to every single page, as Nancy Warren packs a lot of action in, right down to the last page!

If you like paranormal mysteries, you need to be reading this series! I can't wait to read the next one.

Book Review: Murder in a Village Church by Victoria Walters

Nancy Hunter, along with her grandmother, Jane, and her best friend, Jonathan, are back to solve another mystery... and this one is very close to home! After hearing that Nancy's mother, who ran away when she was six, was spotted at a Christmas party near Dedley End, Nancy is determined to find her mother and get a few answers. However, what unravels is a mystery worthy of the greats, as together with Jane and Jonathan, they must not only find her mother, but also find a murderer too!

Oh gosh! This book was absolutely tremendous! This was a locked room mystery, worth of Agatha Christie! While I've gotten quite good at picking up clues and solving the mystery early on, this one was almost unsolvable! How did the victim die in a locked church? And who killed him?

I've been a big fan of Victoria Walters' books since I discovered Glendale Hall, and I was so thrilled when she started to write cosy crime - my favourite genre! She's an absolute natural at delivering a first class whodunnit. This one was particularly high suspense as it involved a gang from London, and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the murderer was!

The story intertwines [without giving spoilers] to the previous two mysteries, and I highly recommend reading all three books in order. After just a few pages in Dedly End you will be wanting to come back for more. With an ending that is worth the wait [and a few toe curling moments], this mystery is definitely a five star read! I absolutely can't wait for the next mystery!

Book Review: Beer and Loathing by Ellie Alexander

Sloan Krause is back! Sloan and Garrett are looking forward to the arrival of Garrett's parents and sister, in their first visit since he opened Nitro. However, not all is clear sailing [or skiing!], when his family get delayed in arriving, and a skier is found dead on the trails. Will Sloan and Garrett be able to solve the mystery before the killer strikes again?

The answer is... of course! This is Sloan after all!

I've been [im]patiently waiting for a new Sloan Krause mystery, and I was so thrilled when one was announced. This series is in my top 3 favourite series! It's well written, clever, and always with a fantastic whodunnit! I just adore every visit to Leavenworth! The atmosphere, the people, and of course.... the brewing and food!

Here's a fun fact. I don't drink beer. Beyond having celiacs, I have never enjoyed beer. However, this series really makes me interested in the process, and the amazing flavours that Sloan and Garrett craft together!

I really enjoyed the mystery. I've been reading a LOT of cozy mysteries lately and it was enjoyable to discover one where the whodunnit wasn't the same method or reasoning behind it, as some of the others I've read recently. 

Ellie Alexander crafts the perfect mystery in Beer and Loathing and I can't wait for the next one! Please, please let there be more!

Book Review: Pride, Prejudice and Peril by Katie Oliver

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a reader must in want of a good mystery.... Or that is certainly the case for me! I love cozy mysteries and when I find a new series I adore I whoop for joy!

*commence whooping*

Pride, Prejudice and Peril is the first book in a new series by Katie Oliver, featuring Jane Austen scholar, Phaedra Brighton. Phaedra loves everything about Austen, including dressing up in regency attire to inspire her college class students. However, she lands herself in the middle of a mystery when her friend's husband turns up dead, right in the middle of filming a reality tv show, Who Wants to Marry Mr Darcy, on their property. 

I love Pride and Prejudice. My first introduction to Pride and Prejudice was "that" BBC mini-series in high school. Together, with a few friends, we read it for the first time and then, of course, re-watched the mini series. Fast forward to discovering there was a mystery series, where the first book is inspired by it and of course, I had to read it! 

I absolutely loved Pride, Prejudice and Peril. I had fun figuring out which characters corresponded with the original characters, and of course, trying to the solve the mystery! The author had me completely stumped with this one! I was guessing in the dark, and didn't come close to the solving the mystery before Phaedra.

Pride, Prejudice and Peril is an absolute stunner of a first-in-a-new series. With a cat named Wickham *squee*, a Detective Morelli AND British Professor Mark Sedon, as potential love interests, and her father's bookshop, to provide a cozy setting, you can bet I will be back for the next book. I absolutely can't wait!

Book Review: Murder at the Bookstore by Sue Minix

She can write the perfect murder mystery… But can she solve one in real life? 

Meet Jen Dawson, mystery writer, coffee lover, and amateur detective? Crime writer Jen returns to her small hometown with a bestselling book behind her and a bad case of writer’s block. Finding sanctuary in the local bookstore, with an endless supply of coffee, Jen waits impatiently for inspiration to strike. But when the owner of the bookstore dies suddenly in mysterious circumstances, Jen has a real-life murder to solve.  

The stakes are suddenly higher when evidence places Jen at the scene of the crime and the reading of the will names her as the new owner of the bookstore … Can she crack the case and clear her name, before the killer strikes again?[summary via Publisher]

Readers, I have a new favourite bibliomystery series and it's dynamite! Murder at the Bookstore is the first in a new series by Sue Minix, and if this debut is anything to go by it's going to be fabulous!

Jen Dawson is a mystery writer with writer's block. She's trying to work on her second novel and it's just not forming. However, lucky [or maybe unlucky] for her there is about to be a major distraction in town. When the owner of the bookstore is killed in a not-really-a accident it looks like she's going to have put the pen down and solve a real life mystery!

I love, love bibliomyisteries. If they are set in a library, bookmobile or bookstore it's almost guaranteed that I'm going to like it. However, I loved this one! I was intrigued from the very first page. As always, I tried to solve the mystery alongside the sleuth, and I thought I had all the pieces in place... but I didn't! The final pieces of the denouement definitely surprised me, and the ending was fantastic!

If you're looking for a new bibliomystery, you just have to pick up Murder at the Bookstore! You won't be disappointed, and you'll be counting down the days until the next one! I know I am!

Book Review: Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke

When Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie put all their beans in one basket to open Sip & Spin Records, a record-slash-coffee shop in Cedar River, Texas, they knew there could be some scratches on the track, but no one was expecting to find a body deader than disco in the supply closet.

Family is everything to the Jessups, so when their uncle is arrested by Juni’s heartbreaking ex on suspicion of murder, the sisters don’t skip a beat putting Sip & Spin up for bail collateral. But their tune changes abruptly when Uncle Calvin disappears, leaving them in a grind. With their uncle’s freedom and the future of their small business on the line, it’s up to Juni and her sisters to get in the groove and figure out whodunit before the killer’s trail—and the coffee—goes cold.

Music and mocha seem like a blend that should be “Knockin' On Heaven's Door,” but caught up in a murder investigation with her family and their life savings on the line, Juni wonders if she might be on the "Highway to Hell" instead.[summary via Publisher]

Oh my! Oh my! Do you ever pick up a book and right from the first page it is instant love? That is how I felt when I read Vinyl Resting Place. I'm by no means a music aficionado. I listen to music, but would I know the difference between listing to a vinyl and listening on streaming? Nope! Did this stop me from loving every single page of this debut? Also no!

Right from the beginning I was hooked on the family dynamic between the three Jessup sisters, Juni, Tansy and Maggie. Together they are opening a vinyl shop and cafe in the exact location where their grandparents used to operate a record store. It is fate! Or it will be if they can solve the murder case that has literally landed in their laps!

With the backdrop of mouthwatering Texan food [where can I get some of the delicious barbecue?!] and delightful, puny names for drinks in their cafe, this was a most tantalizing mystery! With their Uncle Calvin's penchant for laying [just] on the wrong side of the law, the girls needs to put their heads together to solve the crime. Their dynamic is brilliant, and I liked how they had just enough differences to not always get along, but that they also had each others backs when it counted!

This was a first class debut! I'm still in bathing in that afterglow of reading a good mystery, and not quite ready to move on to another book yet. Surely a sign of a good read! The mystery is exciting, the sleuths are delightful and readers will be patiently waiting, wanting to visit Cedar River again. I know I sure can't wait! 

Book Review: Death by Arts and Crafts by Alexis Morgan

As the newest member of the Snowberry Creek City Council, perpetually overextended Abby McCree is picked to liaise between the council and the new planning committee for the town’s first ever arts and crafts fair. As far as gigs go, it’s a fun one—Abby’s spending the weekend tooling around Washington State, checking out similar fairs with her two besties, coffee shop owner Bridey Roker, and ceramic artisan Dayna Fisk.

As Abby spreads the word about Snowberry Creek’s fair, recruiting the industry’s biggest movers and makers, the trip feels like a glittering success. But then, someone is found murdered at one of the events and vendors begin disappearing amid suspicious circumstances. Abby’s determined to keep her hands clean, until Dayna finds herself stuck at the top of the suspect list. Now, Abby must weave the clues together and clear her friend’s name before the killer claims another victim—maybe even Abby herself . . .   [summary via Amazon]

Death by Arts and Crafts  is the sixth book in the Abby McCree mysteries, and my first introduction to Snowberry Creek. However, it definitely won't be my last, because I absolutely loved this book!

Coming off a reading slump, I dove straight into this mystery centred around an arts and crafts fair. Snowberry Creek is getting ready for its first arts and crafts fair, and as a new member to the council, Abby McCree is helping out. However, she gets more than she wishes for when a dead body turns up and one of her friends gets tangled up in the mystery!

From the first page, I was absolutely hooked! The author writes believable, likeable characters and I couldn't wait to take an adventure with them! Abby is determined to not get involved in another murder case, and she really does try to stay out of it. Unfortunately trouble seems to follow her around. Especially as her friend, Dayna, seems to be tangled up in it!

About halfway through the book I was convinced I had identified the killer, and I was happy to be mostly right! I love when the ending is a surprise, and I definitely got a surprise with this one! The final denouement was thrilling, and kept me hooked until the end.

I am just smitten with the characters in Snowberry Creek, and while I wait for the next book to come out, I will be going back to read the earlier mysteries! If you haven't visited Snowberry Creek you need to... today!!!!