Audiobook Review: Killing Cupid by Laura Levine

It's almost Valentine's Day and the only date on Jaine's horizon appears to be her cat, Prozac. However things start looking up when she's asked to write a brochure for a dating agency, Dates of Joy. However Joy Amoroso is the latest thing from joy, instead she's a cruel woman that is intend on taking money from people and not finding them their true loves, as she promised. Jaine wants to write her brochure, earn her money and get as far away from her as she can. Unfortunately Joy also promises to set Jaine up with someone. However her intended date is the last person Jaine would want to date, a rich, old guy that seems obsessed with her cat. Jaine isn't surprised when Joy drops dead from a poisoned chocolate, as there seems to be a lot of people that wanted her dead - herself included. With Prozac's, her cat, help she will have to untangle this mystery before she ends up behind bars.

I've read all of the mysteries in this series, starting with This Pen For Hire. I like the zany antics of Jaine and her gay shoe-salesman neighbour, Lance, and her kooky parents that live in a retirement village in Florida, and have a addiction to buying unnecessary items on late night tv. Together they make for a fun mystery series and I've been hooked from the start.

I was thrilled to discover that Killing Cupid would be available as an audiobook as I've previously read all the books in this series and I wanted to experience Jaine in audio format. While the narrator, Brittany Pressley, wasn't the voice I had thought of in my mind, from reading the previous eleven novels, I quickly adapted and grew to enjoy her impressions of Jaine, Lance, Prozac and all the oddballs at the dating agency.

The mystery itself was fun. I love discovering that the murder victim wasn't well liked because there is always a great variety of murder suspects. In this case, there was a long line of disgruntled dating customers and even Joy's own Aunt, who she stole the business from. It was certainly difficult trying to figure out who the killer was.

Killing Cupid was another fun, zany instalment in the Jaine Austen mysteries. If you're looking for a mystery series with a lot of laughs, then I suggest trying out these mysteries. They are best read in order, so start with A Pen For Hire. For me, I'm now patiently waiting as I look forward to discovering what Jaine gets up to next and I'm hoping that there might be some romance in store for Jaine too!

Audiobook Review: Charms & Chocolate Chips by Bailey Cates

Katie Lightfoot is keeping herself busy. Between working at the bakery and volunteering, she barely has time to see her firefighter boyfriend, Declan. She's not avoiding Declan, but moreso avoiding her fate and destiny as a witch, and a powerful one at that. However she can't constantly run away from it, especially when her powers are needed to solve the murder of a fellow volunteer at the conservation group.

Charms and Chocolate Chips is the third book in the Magical Bakery Mysteries and I adored the first two books in this series. They combine my love of culinary cozies with paranormal elements just perfectly and often leave me [im]patiently waiting for the next book. I read the first two books in this series, and opted to listen to the latest book as an audiobook.

I like Katie Lightfoot. She's discovering lots of things about herself and her family that she didn't know before. She's only recently learnt that she's a witch and that's a lot to take on - especially when she learns that she's a "catalyst" and might be more powerful than she first thought. She's also taking baby steps with her relationship with Declan, given her previous disaster relationship. Add in another murder and well she's certainly got her hands full. However, what Katie soon discovers is that she can handle more than she thought she could!!

Charms and Chocolate Chips felt like a turning point for Katie. Her mother, who she hasn't spoken to very much since learning that her mother hid from her that Katie's a witch, is in town and it's great to learn more about Katie's family history and putting pieces of her own life's puzzle into place. For the reader we get a hint at exactly how much power Katie has and it's very interesting. I cannot wait to see how her powers progress as the series go on, as I'm sure it's going to be a great magical journey.

Charms and Chocolate Chips was a fantastic listen on audio. I listened while I dug into some holiday baking and it was a fantastic experience. Amy Rubinate was already one of my favorite narrators (based on her narration of The Selection series by Kiera Cass) and I'm so happy to see her narrating this series. She does a fantastic job of telling this story and her narration of Katie and her aunt, Lucy, are simply spot on. I plan to listen to future books in this series on audio.

I highly recommend this series to fans of culinary mysteries and paranormal mysteries. If you are looking for a series to try on audiobook, then definitely pick up the audio version, and Amy Rubinate's narration does not disappoint.

Audiobook Review: Dyeing Wishes by Molly MacRae

Kath Rutledge is settling into life in Blue Plum, operating the yarn shop her grandmother left her, and dealing with a ghost-in-residence in the way of Geneva. On a visit to Cloud Hollow Farm, Kath and her friends expect to learn more about dyeing yarn but instead they discover what looks like a murder suicide. The victim is Bonnie's daughter and a man who ran off years ago. Bonnie is devastated and looks to Kath to try to uncover the truth.

Being a lifelong knitter and crocheter I really enjoyed Molly Macrae's first novel, Last Wool and Testament. It called out to love of all different types of yarns and crafts. For the second novel in this series, I chose to listen on audiobook and see if my love of this series carried over on audio. I'm glad to report it did.

The second book is even better than the first. The reason why? Well apart from a great mystery that fills the reader into a bit of history of the town, with Will Embry having run off years ago accused of a crime, it also lets us into more of the close friendship amongst the TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Fiber) group. But the main reason is the funny, flighty ghost-in-residence, Geneva. I absolutely adore Geneva and her growing friendship with Kath.

In Dyeing Wishes we do get a few more details as to Geneva's past, but not enough that Kath is able to figure out why Geneva is hanging around. For my own selfish reasons I hope Geneva stays around for a long time because I find her absolutely delightful. I never know what she's going to say next and she's a hoot a minute!

Emily Durante is fast becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery narrators. I loved the voices she used for the characters of Blue Plum, especially the Spivey twins - she got those just perfect. She has a great pacing and it felt like I was right there alongside Kath trying to solve the mystery.

Dyeing Wishes was a great read and I can't wait for the third book in this series to be released next week.

Audiobook Review: Death of an Outsider by M.C. Beaton

Death of a Outsider sees Hamish Macbeth leaving his beloved Lochdubh to spend three months covering for a police officer in the Highland town of Cnothan. With his beloved dog, Hamish gets to know the locals and discovers he's not the only "outsider" in Cnothan. There are quite a few, a lovely lass from Canadian and a married couple that the locals cannot stand. It seems that Mr Mainwaring has a way of causing the locals to dislike him, as he picks and prods his way into all their lives. When a skeleton turns up dead and it is discovered to belong to Mr Mainwaring, Macbeth and Inspector Blair set out to investigate the case and find out who disliked Mainwaring enough to want him dead.

I've liked the first two books in this series and I'm continuing on by listening to book 3, Death of a Outsider, on audio. I love seeing what Hamish gets up to and it's nice to see him away from Lochdubh for this adventure. He's trying to keep his mind off Priscilla, his crush and the girl that he can't quite see a future with, even though he wants to. He finds things interesting in Cnothan - especially with a very unattached Canadian artist. And of course there is a murder to solve!!

Speaking of the murder. I read a lot of murder mysteries and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised of who Mainwaring was killed and the discovering of his skeleton. Yes not a corpse but a skeleton. I haven't seen this in a previous mystery and I love how creative M.C. Beaton was with this.

I really enjoyed Death of a Outsider and will listen to more of these books on audio. It seems that there was a new narrator with this one - Shaun Grindell. He provides the voice for the rest of the audios in this series, and while it took me a little while to get used to his narration I am looking forward to seeing how he narrates future books.

Audiobook Review: Cloche & Dagger by Jenn McKinlay

After Scarlett Parker discovers that her boyfriend has been lying to her and is still married, her fiery temper gets the best of her and she behaves badly and gets the name of the “Party Crasher”. To put some distance between the incident, Scarlett decides to visit her cousin, Vivian, who runs Mim’s Whims, the millinery business they both inherited when their grandmother passed away. In England Scarlett doesn’t quite find the peace and quiet she’s looking for, especially when Vivian appears to be missing and a client turns up dead. With an old love interest in tow, Scarlett and her new friends must solve a murder and try to keep the hat shop open, in Vivian’s absence.

I first discovered Jenn McKinlay through her Cupcake Bakery mysteries and then her Library Lover’s mysteries. Being a fan of English-based mysteries, I was thrilled to learn that she was publishing a series set in England.

Right from the second Scarlett steps off the plane in England, I was hooked on her adventure. She’s such a fun heroine, as she struggles with the pain of her embarrassment of her ex-boyfriend, to not remembering, Harrison, a boy she stood up as a teen. She has a fiery temperament, and it seems she’s always getting herself into trouble!! Scarlett is plain and simple fun and it was so enjoyable to read her first adventure.

The first mystery in this series really sets the scene about the store, Mim’s Whims, Vivian and Scarlett’s history together, growing up together and spending their summers at the store. We are also introduced to the fabulous pair of Andre and Nick, a couple that live just down the street, and help Scarlett cause trouble and get out of trouble too!! I absolutely adored Andre and Nick and I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book.

I listened to Cloche and Dagger on audiobook and the narration is voiced by Karyn O’Bryant. It was my first time listening to Karyn O’Bryant narrate and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. She quickly switches between the English and American accents, and her voices matched the personalities so perfectly. From vibrant Nick to Harrison, who can be quite the stick-in-the-mud and formal, the voices were simply perfect. I hope that future books in this series will be published in audiobook format with Karyn O’Bryant providing the narration.

Cloche and Dagger is a five-star read. It’s a debut in a new series and it is an absolute stellar start to this series. I can’t wait for the second book (Death of a Mad Hatter) to hit the shelves next year.