Audiobook Review: If The Shoe Kills by Lynn Cahoon

The holiday season is fast approaching in the sleepy town of South Cove. Jill Gardiner, owner of Coffee, Books and More, is busy planning a holiday supper and fundraising for the season. The last thing she needs is to get involved in another murder case. However, one seems to land right in her lap when she discovers the body of a visitor to town. Ted Hendricks is a first class jerk and also the director of a work program, placing interns in local businesses to help them garner some experience. When Ted turns up dead Jill doesn’t have to look far for suspects. It seems everyone had a reason to dislike Ted and Jill and her boyfriend police officer, Greg, will have their work cut out trying to find the killer.

If The Shoe Kills was my first visit with Jill and her dog, Emma, to South Cove. However, after listening to just one book I know it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed the variety of people that live in South Cove, and the addition of the interns visiting certainly provided a lot of color and intrigue!

The murder aside, what really drew me into this story was Jill’s store, Coffee, Books and More. I really like books about books. So many of my favorite cozy mystery series are set in bookstores and libraries. Being such an avid reader I can’t get enough of cozy mysteries that heavily feature books in their stories. I felt right at home in Coffee, Books and More and I liked how Jill not just works there, but talks about books, not just mentioning titles but giving the reader a great view of what goes into running the bookstore. In every scene I really felt like Jill was as much an avid lover of books as I am.

With the interns of the work program in town, there were a lot of visitors to South Cove. This made trying to figure out the killer so much harder, especially as the victim was new to town as well. I had an interesting time trying to figure it out and didn’t manage to solve this one before Jill.

I listened to If The Shoe Kills on audio and I enjoyed Susan Boyce’s narration. It didn’t take me long to get into the story and I quickly found myself hooked, which is a good indicator to a great author and narrator combination.

If the Shoe Kills was a great introduction into this series for me. I plan to go back and read/listen to the earlier books in the series, to find out a bit more about Jill’s other adventures. If you like charming cozies about enchanting small towns I highly recommend picking this one up.

Book Review: A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell

For the last two months I’ve had an unplanned absence from the blog and from reading. I got back into things this week by reading A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell. I am head over heels in love with Lily, Oscar and the gang at Aunt Cora’s Closet from her Witchcraft Mysteries. A Haunting is Brewing pairs up Lily with Mel, from Juliet Blackwell’s other series, Haunted Home Renovation Mysteries. Together they work side by side to solve a mystery surrounding a haunted house, life size dolls and a ghostly magician!

I loved watching Lily and Mel team up. This is the first story I’ve read with Mel, but I know it won’t be my last. Lily and Mel work well together, with Lily’s witchy powers and Mel’s ability to communicate with ghosts. With a small appearance from our favorite pot-belly pig, Oscar, it was a great little story to get me back into cozy mysteries.

Furthermore, I like that no spoilers were given for either series. The story was self-contained, and even if you haven’t read either of these series you won’t be lost by reading this novella.

A Haunting is Brewing was a fun, little story to be enjoyed by fans of both of these series, especially while we wait for the next release. If you haven’t discovered either of these series I suggest picking them up today. They are some of the best cozy mysteries on the shelves.

Audiobook Review: Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House by M.C. Beaton

I love Agatha Raisin! She makes life in the country seem very exciting and she's always up to something. This time Agatha and her new neighbour, Paul, are investigating a haunted house. When the mean old lady that owns the house ends up dead, Agatha and Paul are sure it is murder and start to investigate.

Agatha has such spirit, but she is also a romantic and looks to Paul to be her next love. Of course Paul is married and is just toying with her. She deserves so much better, and I was happy to see Sir Charles Fraith also get in on the action too. When it comes to her love life I know she is not suited for James Lacey and I hope maybe Sir Charles will continue to be in her life.

Romance aside this was a really fun mystery, that delved into the history of the Cotswold. Agatha continues to bumble along until she has the case solved and her never-ending spirit and determination kept me interested.

I love Penelope Keith's narration. She's one of my favorite narrators and the true voice of Agatha Raisin. I'm looking forward to picking up the next Agatha Raisin mystery.

Book Review: Marked Down For Murder by Josie Belle

It's almost Valentine's Day and life for the Good Buy Girls is good. Joanne is expecting her first baby, and the girls are excited for their friend, even if Claire is more than anxious to find out if Joanne is having a boy or a girl. Maggie is happy that she is finally together with handsome police detective, Sam, and everything looks like it is coming up love hearts and roses. That is until Maggie's nemesis, Summer, mom rolls into town. If anything Blair Cassidy is more bossy than Summer and she's determined that her daughter should be with Sam, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to break up Maggie and Sam. Her plans go awry when a dead body turns up, and it looks like Summer is the prime suspect. Even though Summer is the last person that Maggie would defend, she is certain that Summer is innocent and sets out to prove it.

This is the fourth book in the Good Buy Girls mysteries. I've been reading this series since 50% Off Murder hit the shelves in 2012. With my love of shopping and especially discount shopping, I warmed to this series instantly, when I first started it. With each new mystery it keeps getting better and better.

The Good Buy Girls are four friends that love to shop and find a good deal and have been there for each other through thick and thin. With Joanne about her to have her baby, they are about to hit another milestone together. I love the closeness of this group. They are all very different personalities, and in different stages of their life, but they are incredibly close and I love the feeling of "friendship no matter what" amongst them.

I liked this mystery. It involved a visitor to town, so I had a hard time trying to figure out whether it was someone from town with a grudge against him or someone else entirely. Jenn McKinlay crafts complex mysteries and I had a hard time trying to figure it out before the Good Buy Girls did.

Marked Down for Murder was another fantastic mystery from the master of small town mysteries, Jenn McKinlay. If you haven't read this series yet what are you waiting for? Whether you pick up the first or the most recent in the series you are sure in for a great afternoon of cozy sleuthing with the Good Buy Girls.

Book Review: To Fudge or Not To Fudge by Nancy Coco

Fudge meets reality tv in the latest installment in the Candy-Coated Mysteries. Fudge extraordinaire, Allie McMurphy, is busy working at her fudge shop and hotel and preparing for the Lilac Festival. When her old culinary school teacher asks her to fill in a spot on a reality tv show she hopes for some publicity for her hotel, but what she doesn't bank on is murder. With random bones turning up in mulch around town and another dead body on set, this is one mystery that Allie and her friends will have trouble untangling.

I really, really liked All Fudged Up. I love finding new fudge recipes and creating my own fudge recipes as well, and I love the concept of a mystery series surrounding a fudge shop. Allie, her dog "Mal", short for Marshmallow, and all the people in town are so fun to visit with! If you love mysteries with dogs you will love Mal. With Mal's love of digging up bones it seems like she's almost got this mystery solved before the police!! Imagine the police chasing a dog with a human bone in its mouth and you will see the hilarity in the pages of To Fudge or Not to Fudge.

I like Allie McMurphy and not just for her ability to make my mouth water as she makes fudge, she's also a fun heroine, who has a taste for adventure. Between cooking on the reality tv show and running the McMurphy it is amazing that Allie has time to solve a murder, but between Allie and her friends, and Mal too!, they sure do give this one their best shot.

To Fudge or Not to Fudge was as enticing and tasty as a pan of fudge! The mystery kept me on the edge of the seat, and I love visiting with Allie's friends and family. I know I will be counting down the days until the next mystery with Allie McMurphy.