Book Review: The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton

Never an adventurer, no one was more surprised than Delaney Nichols when she packed her bags and moved halfway across the world to Edinburgh, Scotland to start a job at The Cracked Spine, a bookshop located in the heart of the city. Her new boss, Edwin MacAlister, has given her the opportunity of a lifetime, albeit a cryptic one, and Delaney can’t wait to take her spot behind the desk.

The Cracked Spine is filled with everything a book lover could want, each item as eclectic as the people who work there; the spirited and lovable Rosie, who always has tiny dog Hector in tow; Hamlet, a nineteen-year-old thespian with a colored past and bright future; and Edwin, who is just as enigmatic and mysterious as Delaney expected. An extra bonus is Tom the bartender from across the street, with his cobalt eyes, and a gentle brogue—and it doesn’t hurt that he looks awfully good in a kilt.

But before she can settle into her new life, a precious artifact goes missing, and Edwin’s sister is brutally murdered. Never did Delaney think that searching for things lost could mean a killer, but if she’s to keep her job, and protect her new friends, she’ll need to learn the truth behind this Scottish tragedy.[summary via Amazon]

The Cracked Spine is the first book in the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. Meet Delaney Nichols, an American from Kansas, who finds herself travelling to Scotland to take up a job at The Cracked Spine. Delaney is a book lover, and can't wait to start working at the Scottish bookshop. What she isn't expecting is to get thrown in the middle of a murder investigation. This is exactly what happens when Edwin's, her boss, sister is found brutally murdered. Together with her new "bookshop family" Delaney sets out to find the culprit.

Oh, this book!!! It was love at first page. There is everything to love in this debut. The Scottish setting, the kilts, the Scottish accents and the way they pronounce words, and the bookshop! Oh the bookshop. The bookshop is absolutely magical and it is the perfect place for Delaney, a book lover who can "hear" the books. 

The mystique of the bookshop very much reminded me of the television show, Warehouse 13. All is not as it appears with The Cracked Spine, and the bookshop family. I loved the mystery behind the bookshop, and I feel like there is still more secrets to be unfolded in future books.  

I adored Delaney Nichols, and her thirst for books and adventure. She throws herself headlong into the mystery, but she has a great cast of "partners in crime" along the way. Rosie and Hamlet, who work in the bookshop, and her new friends, Elias and Aggie, who she meets right away and help her get settled in Edinburgh. Not to mention her boss, Edwin, who has a lot of secrets, and may end up being the most fascinating of everyone in Edinburgh!

I absolutely loved The Cracked Spine, and if you love books about books, you need to be adding this series to your reading list! I can't wait to continue on with this series and see what kind of fun and mischief Delaney and her new bookshop family get up to next!

Book Review: No Farm, No Foul by Peg Cochran

On her blog, The Farmer’s Daughter, Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.

Working the farm is demanding but peaceful—until that peace is shattered when the minister’s wife is murdered on Shelby’s property during a fund-raiser for a local church. But the manure really hits the fan when Shelby’s good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself. As more suspects crop up, she’ll have to move fast—before someone else buys the farm. . . .[summary via Amazon]

No Farm, No Foul is the first book in the Farmer's Daughter Mysteries and features Shelby McDonald, farmer and blogger. During the pot luck barbecue, Shelby's life takes a turn to the dangerous when she discovers the minister's wife murdered. As she sets about trying to find clues, she discovers not everyone in Lovett is as they seem.

I wasn't expecting to like No Farm, No Foul as much as I did. It wasn't because of the author. I absolutely loved Peg Cochran's Gourmet DeLite mysteries. It is for the simple reason that I'm not usually a fan of farm girl settings. Having had my full of the All Creatures Great and Small as a child, I've been enjoying books with a more urban setting lately. However, that's the great thing about cozy mysteries... a great mystery, enticing characters and I'm hooked. Just as I was with this one!

I quickly got caught up in the mystery surrounding the small town of Lovett, where everyone isn't as they seem. Lovett is full of small town gossip, and murder aside, it seems like there is always something happening!!

I liked the mystery, but I especially liked the characters. Shelby is widowed, a single mom of 2 kids, and a blogger. Apart from the widow part I can completely relate. Especially trying to balance the kids and a full-time business. 

No Farm, No Foul was a great start to this series and I can't wait to read the next book. The romantic angle really drew me in and I can't wait to find out how Shelby's life unfolds in that department! And, of course, what kind of mystery she gets herself in the middle of!

Book Review: Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams

With her twins, Fitzgerald and Hemingway, back in school, Jane Steward can finally focus on her work again—managing Storyton Hall, and breaking ground on the resort’s latest attraction: a luxurious, relaxing spa named in honor of Walt Whitman. But when the earth is dug up to start laying the spa’s foundation, something else comes to the surface—a collection of unusual bones and the ragged remnants of a very old book. The attendees of the Rare Book Conference are eager to assist Jane with this unexpected historical mystery—until a visitor meets an untimely end in the Henry James Library. As the questions—and suspects—start stacking up, Jane will have to uncover a killer before more unhappy endings ensue . . .

“Combines clever clues, a smart and courageous heroine and an interesting setting in a whodunit that will inspire readers to make further visits to Storyton Hall.”[summary via Goodreads]

In the fourth book in the Book Retreat Mysteries, Jane Steward is hosting a group of rare book collectors for the Rare Book Conference. A week of fun events and study of rare books is planned. However, the plans change when a dead body is unearthed on the property and one member of the Robert Harley Rare Book Society turns up dead. Jane and her "Fins" must put their heads together to solve two murders and restore order to Storyton Hall.

I absolutely love the Book Retreat Mysteries. They're a mystery and an education on books all rolled into one. If you love books, as much as I do, you're guaranteed to love this series!

Hot off reading the third book, The Murder in the Secret Garden, I picked up the fourth book in the series. I was swept away to Storyton Hall, and a mystery surrounding a century old pile of human bones and a very, very old (but dangerous) book.  I found the mystery surrounding this old book really fascinating. Why would a book (in a locked case no less) be buried with a body, and not discovered for over a century later? 

As the mystery unravelled we learn a lot about this book, and why it should've remained hidden. We also learn about the history of Storyton Hall, and this was deeply fascinating too.

When I turned the last page of The Murder in the Locked Library, I couldn't wait for the next book. It definitely left me hanging and wanting more adventure. Luckily for me, the next book is released in just a few days time, so I will be heading back to Storyton Hall very soon!

Book Review: Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott

Addie left some painful memories behind in the big city, including the unsolved murder of her fiancé and her father’s fatal car accident. After an unexpected inheritance from a great aunt, she’s moved to a small New England town founded by her ancestors back in colonial times—and living in spacious Greyborne Manor, on a hilltop overlooking the harbor. Best of all, her aunt also left her countless first editions and other treasures—providing an inventory to start her own store.

But there’s trouble from day one, and not just from the grumpy woman who runs the bakery next door. A car nearly runs Addie down. Someone steals a copy of Alice in Wonderland. Then, Addie’s friend Serena, who owns a nearby tea shop, is arrested—for killing another local merchant. The police seem pretty sure they’ve got the story in hand, but Addie’s not going to let them close the book on this case without a fight . . .[summary via Amazon]

Addison Greybourne has fled her life in Boston, that became wrought with sadness after the unexplained deaths of her father and fiancé, and is now residing in a small town in New England. After taking early retirement, thanks to a unexpected inheritance from a great aunt, she opens up Beyond the Page, and is looking forward to enjoying books and life in a small-town. However, it seems someone has other plans for her when unexplained incidents start occurring, which makes Addie feel like someone is trying to drive her out of town. When her new friend, Serena, is charged with murder, it looks like the bad luck is continuing. Together with Marc, police chief and Serena's brother, they hunt down a killer and try to clear Serena's name.

I love books about books. They are my favourite sub-genre of cozy mysteries. I was thrilled to discover this new series, the Bookstore Mysteries, and delve into another series that features a bookstore as the centre of the mystery.

Rare and unusual books feature heavily in Murder by the Book, and aside from discovering new characters and a great mystery, I really liked finding out more about older books, and what makes them unique. I won't give away the plot, but the rare book in question, in Murder by the Book, is really fascinating. As a fan of the classical book mentioned, I found the facts behind the earlier edition very interesting.

There is a lot to the mystery, especially as we start the book with a cold case - the accident surrounding Addie's father and the murder of her fiancé. From there the reader gets taken on more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, and just like rollercoasters, I loved every second of it. It was a thrill a minute and an adventure that I can't wait to repeat!

I loved the addition of Martha, the grumpy old lady, that owns the business next door to Addie, and doesn't care for Addie at all. To the point of starting a petition to run Addie out of town! In a brilliant love-to-hate way I'm looking forward to seeing what Martha is going to try next.

Murder by the Book is a strong debut to this series, and I can't wait to return for another adventure with Addie, Serena and Marc.

Book Review: Irish Stewed by Kylie Logan

After flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star, jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled in Hubbard, Ohio, helping her aunt Sophie run her restaurant. Much to Laurel’s dismay, Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe—it’s a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials.

But first there’s the problem of the body in the booth. Slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back is Jack Lancer—“the Lance of Justice”—an investigative reporter for local TV news. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store—who may or may not be a suspect—Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself? [summary via Amazon]

Irish Stewed is the first book in the Ethnic Eats Mysteries by Kylie Logan. Laurel Inwood is back in Hubbard, Ohio, helping out her Aunt Sophie at her restaurant "Terminal on the Tracks", while Sophie is recovering from surgery. Previously a big Hollywood chef, Laurel finds the restaurant to be not everything she was expecting, and least of all, she doesn't expect to find a dead man in the restaurant on her first walkthrough. As Laurel settles into the town, she buries herself into the investigation, alongside the very charming and very Irish local, Declan Fury. Together they must unravel the clues before the killer strikes again.

I absolutely adore Kylie Logan's other series, the League of Literary Ladies Mysteries. I came across the Ethnic Eats Mysteries at my local library and I knew I had to pick it up immediately. I knew if it was anywhere near as good as her other series, I was going to enjoy it.

Irish Stewed had me addicted from the very first chapter. Laurel has run away from her Hollywood lifestyle, and the first two things she runs into are a dead body and the handsome Irishman, Declan. Both of these factors absolutely delighted me. I love everything about Declan - his cocky, self-assured attitude, his thrusting himself into the investigation (despite Laurel not wanting anything to do with him), and his big, loud and maybe not entirely legal Irish family. Having come from a big Australian-Irish family myself, it may be his family that endeared me the most!!

The mystery itself was top notch. When the final denouement was unravelled, I was left open mouthed in shock, as I definitely didn't see the killer coming! 

The Ethnic Eats Mysteries are now on top of my "must read" list. With such a strong first in the series, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy the rest immensely. Not to mention, that I definitely need to find out how the sparks flying between Laurel and Declan unravel too!

Book Review: Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs

Suzanne, Toni, and Petra lose their husbands but find independence when they open the Cackleberry Club. Then their cozy cafe becomes the scene of a crime when a lawyer dies with a secret on his lips and egg on his face. What this all has to do with a religious cult and Suzanne's past could put her own life on the line.[summary via Goodreads]

Eggs in Purgatory is the first book in the Cackleberry Club Mysteries, and features a trio of friends, that find a renewed sense of life in their new business, Cackleberry Club. Life is going swimmingly for the three friends at their business, the Cackleberry Club, which is part cafe, part knitting shop, part bookshop. Life in Kindred takes a turn for the worse when the local lawyer, Bobby Waite, is found killed outside their Cafe. Suzanne sets to work, trying to find a killer, and at the same time clearing her deceased husband's name, when he is implicated in a scandal.

I picked up Eggs in Purgatory on the recommendation of a knitting friend, who described the Cackleberry Club as "my perfect place to spend hours on end". Her description very much fitted the Cackleberry Club, being part bookstore/cafe/yarn shop, this is my idea of a perfect place as well! Add in the element of afternoon tea, complete with fancy tea and scones, and you have my idea of heaven!

Along with a perfect setting, the mystery itself was pretty perfect too. With a dead body discovered early in the book, I was thrust headlong into a complex mystery, and it was fun trying to solve it alongside Suzanne. The mystery kept me guessing right until the end, as I had to keep re-evaluating my guesses, as each suspect got cleared. It definitely was a great twister of a mystery.

Suzanne's partners in crime (and business), Toni and Petra, are absolutely amusing and kept me in giggles the entire book. I especially loved when they kicked out a over-zealous cult leader, that came to threaten them. They are my spirit warriors!!

Eggs in Purgatory was a delight, and I definitely plan on continuing on with this series.

Book Review: Tangled Up in Brew by Joyce Tremel

Brew pub owner Maxine “Max” O’Hara and her chef/boyfriend, Jake Lambert, are excited to be participating in the Three Rivers Brews and Burgers Festival. Max hopes to win the coveted Golden Stein for best craft beer—but even if she doesn’t, the festival will be great publicity for her Allegheny Brew House.

Or will it? When notoriously nasty food and beverage critic Reginald Mobley is drafted as a last-minute replacement judge, Max dreads a punishing review. Her fears are confirmed when Mobley literally spits out her beer, but things get even worse when the cranky critic drops dead right after trying one of Jake’s burgers. Now an ambitious new police detective is determined to pin Mobley’s murder on Max and Jake, who must pore over the clues to protect their freedom and reputations—and to find the self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner.[summary via Amazon]

In the second book in the Brewing Trouble Mysteries, Max and Jake are setting up for a weekend of fantastic brew and food at the Three Rivers Brews and Burgers Festival. Things turn deadly when a nasty judge dies, while eating one of Jake's burgers. When a new police detective is determined to pin the crime on Jack and Max, Max needs to poke around to find the real killer.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, To Brew or Not to Brew. While there are a lot of "foodie" themed cozy mysteries, this was the first "brewing" themed mystery I had read, and it was a great debut. I was looking forward to picking up with Max and Jake's story again, and this second mystery didn't disappoint.

This mystery centres around the the Three Rivers Brews and Burgers Festival, and it was interesting to find out about different brews, and what a brewing festival entails. The competition between each brewmasters is fierce, despite them being friends. Joyce Tremel sets the scene so perfectly, that I could imagine walking through the festival, with the smell of ale and burgers in the air. 

In a love-to-hate kind of way I liked the inclusion of Detective Vince, or as Max calls him "Vince the Viper". He is young and cocky, and determined to pin the murder on Max and Jake, and it takes everything they've got to prove him wrong. I very much can't wait to see what kind of trouble Vince will try and cause in the third book.

With adorable adopted kitten "Hops"and the picturesque setting in Pittsburgh (Go Penguins!) this was a fun, intriguing second instalment in this series, and I can't wait for the next book.

Book Review: Death Among the Doilies by Mollie Cox Bryan

For thirty-something blogger Cora Chevalier, small-town Indigo Gap, North Carolina, seems like the perfect place to reinvent her life. Shedding a stressful past as a counselor for a women’s shelter, Cora is pouring all her talents—and most of her savings—into a craft retreat business, with help from close pal and resident potter Jane Starr. Between transforming her Victorian estate into a crafter’s paradise and babysitting Jane’s daughter, the new entrepreneur has no time for distractions. Especially rumors about the murder of a local school librarian . . .

But when Jane’s fingerprints match those found at the grisly crime scene, Cora not only worries about her friend, but her own reputation. With angry townsfolk eager for justice and both Jane’s innocence and the retreat at risk, she must rely on her creative chops to unlace the truth behind the beloved librarian’s disturbing demise. Because if the killer’s patterns aren’t pinned, Cora’s handiwork could end up in stitches . . .[summary via Amazon]

In the first book in the Cora Crafts Mystery, Cora Chevalier is setting up for her first craft retreat. This go awry when her best friend, Jane Starr, is accused of murdering the school librarian, Sarah Waters. Cora knows gentle Jane couldn’t possibly have murdered Sarah, and sets about trying to find out the real killer.

This is the second “crafting-themed retreat” mystery series I’ve read, and where the other one fell flat for me, this one was an absolute home run.

I quickly got engrossed in Cora’s back story, where she was a social worker at a women’s shelter, and that is where she met Jane. When the anxiety of the job became too much for Cora, she turned to crafting and blogging about crafting. In my own personal life of sewing, knitting and crocheting, I see this so often, and I’m glad to see this mentioned in the story. Crafting really helps us get through so much, and keeps our hands busy! Jane refers to Cora as a “creative warrior” and I absolutely love this phrase. It perfectly describes many group of crafters, both in the book and in my own crafting circles. We are all crafty warriors!

The mystery was very detailed. I liked that as I delved further into the mystery, I learned more about Cora, Jane and Ruby, who is a herbalist and lives with Cora and Jane. We also learn about other residents of Indigo Gap, and it gave me a feeling that I absolutely can’t wait to visit again.

Death Among the Doilies was such a great debut in the Cora Crafts Mysteries. I can’t wait to return to Indigo Gap, and pick up with the lives (and adventures) of Cora, Jane and Ruby.

Book Review: A Twinkle of Murder by Summer Prescott

Career moves can be murder…

Ever gotten yourself in over your head at work?

Barista Betsy Bergman feels like quite the poser when she’s promoted to the position of Image Consultant at a major department store. Things are kicking into high gear for the holiday season, and just when Betsy thinks she may succeed, despite the odds, she discovers that there’s murder afoot, and that she might just be a suspect.

Joining forces with her best friend, Arnold, entirely clueless to the fact that Arn would really like to be more than friends, Betsy puts her snooping powers to work to try to solve the crime, before she becomes the next victim.

Kick off your shoes and sit back to enjoy this tale of murder and mystery, set against the backdrop of a traditional Midwestern Christmas.

A Twinkle of Murder is a stand-alone mystery featuring part-time barista Betsy Bergman. For Betsy making coffee and baking is easy, but life gets a lot harder (and more interesting) when she takes on the job as Image Consultant at a department store. When one of her clients turns up dead, the police suspect Betsy and she must do all that she can to clear her name.

Despite it being Spring, I fell head over heels for this charming Christmas mystery. Betsy is clueless and smart at the same time. She's clueless over her best friend's, Arnold, feelings towards her. However, she shows her intelligence when quickly adapts to her new job and realizes she has a natural gift as an Image Consultant. The real question is what will her skills as an amateur sleuth be like?

The mystery itself was very interesting. With her rich client now dead, Betsy has to try to fit in with other rich people to try to solve the crime, and she manages this very well. Even her snobby boss is surprised!

A Twinkle of Murder is the first book I've read by Summer Prescott, but it won't be my last. I was absolutely smitten from the beginning to the end. By the time I turned the last page I had the toe-curling, warm and fuzzies that I get from finishing a great cozy mystery, with an adorable romantic angle.  

Cozy Pet Rating: 5 stars for Snoopy,  Betsy's ferret, who is just so adorable and made me wish I had a pet ferret!

Book Review: Murder in the Secret Garden by Ellery Adams

There is a hidden garden bordering the grounds of Jane Steward’s book-themed resort—a garden filled with beautiful but deadly plants such as mandrake and nightshade. Tucked away behind ivy-covered walls and accessible only through a single locked door, as described in the pages of Frances Hodges Burnett's classic novel, the garden is of special interest to Jane’s current group of guests, The Medieval Herbalists. But when one of them turns up dead, Jane must discover whether a member of the group has come to Storyton Hall to celebrate their passion for plant lore or to implement a particularly cruel means for murder.

With thousands of books at her disposal, Jane believes she has the proper materials to solve this deadly problem. If she’s wrong, however, she may lose something far more precious than the contents of Storyton’s secret library...[summary via Amazon]

I love reading books about books. Cozy mysteries that feature a strong book theme are my absolute favourite. For this reason, and so many others, the Book Retreat Mysteries are one of my favourites. They have an interesting mystery to solve, but there is also the story behind the "Fins", the organization that protect and preserve the secret library within Storyton Hall. Both of these storylines entwine together to create a delightful read, with each book being even more memorable than the previous one.

In Murder in the Secret Garden Jane Steward and her twin sons, Hem and Fitz, are caught up in the delight of the rubber duck race. The rubber duck race is the idea of the new Storyton Outfitters owners and the boys delight in being able to purchase a duck to race. Things turn deadly when one of the Medieval Herbalist turns up dead. 

I love the twists and turns of the mystery. Just when I thought I had it solved, it twisted around and left me clueless. Beyond the mystery, I absolutely love the concept of the Fins, the secret organization that protect the secret library. Add in the handsome, rogue Edwin Alcott, who is known as "The Thief" and you have a delightful story that will please even the pickiest reader!

Being a twin mom to boys, another reason I love this series is the inclusion of Fitz and Hem. These delightful, albeit mischievous, boys really bring this story alive. With their aversion to clean baths and their love of literature, I always enjoy hearing what they're up to and what they are reading. This time they're immersed in Harry Potter, and I loved all the Harry Potter references, and how they adapt everyday chores into Harry Potter-isms.

Murder in the Secret Garden is a delight to all bibliophiles, and if you're not reading this series yet you should be. Pick up book one, Murder in the Mystery Suite, and immerse yourself in this well-crafted book-themed cozy mystery series.

Audiobook Review: To Catch a Witch by Heather Blake

Wishcrafter Darcy Merriweather might be a witch with the ability to grant wishes for others, but wishing isn't going to help her catch a killer....

When wishcrafter Darcy Merriweather's personal concierge company is hired by elite runner Abby Stillwell to organize the Wicked Mad Dash, a competition that takes place in the Enchanted Village, Darcy is more than willing to help her friend. As blizzard conditions rage on the morning of the race, Darcy's main concern is the terrible weather - until Abby goes missing...and is later found dead, buried in the snow.

As Darcy investigates her friend's untimely death, she learns she didn't really know Abby well at all. Those closest to the woman - her secret fiance, her roommate, her ex-boyfriend, and her coworkers at Balefire Sports - seem to have plenty to hide, too. As Darcy digs deeper, she uncovers complicated relationships, a possible embezzlement scheme, and allegations of cheating against a top athlete.

Just when Darcy is convinced she's hit a dead end in the case, a startling burglary and the hunt for Abby's elusive ex send Darcy down a dark, dangerous trail. It will take the help from friends, family, and a little bit of magic for Darcy to stop a stone-cold killer from striking again.[summary via Audible]

Early on I discovered Heather Blake's writing when she was writing as Heather Webber with her Lucy Valentine mysteries. I was hooked instantly and I've been a fan ever since. She perfectly blends magic and mystery together, and each novel is utterly delightful. Her Wishcraft mysteries fit this description just beautifully!

To Catch a Witch is the 8th book in the series, and if you've been following along with the series you know there is a lot going on. Darcy and policy detective, Nick, are living together with Nick's daughter Mimi, and their assortment of animals. In Darcy's unofficial title of Witchcraft Investigator though, life is anything but boring! When elite runner, Abby Stillwell goes missing (and is later found dead), Darcy and Nick must work together to find a murderer and solve the mystery.

There is a lot going on in To Catch a Witch. Between witchcraft politics, a murder mystery and Darcy's sister, Harper's sudden illness, the reader never fear getting bored! For this reason, I absolutely loved this book. I listened on audiobook and I found myself wanting to do the housework just so I could keep listening!!!

The Wishcraft mysteries keep getting better with every book, and I don't want to give too much away with this one, but it was very, very good. While I don't say it with every series, this is a series that you need to read in order. Each book builds on the previous book, and reading in order is a must. While this is the 8th book in the series you'll find once you start you can't stop! So set aside a couple of weeks and binge this series!

I listened on audiobook and I absolutely love Coleen Marlo's narration. I've tried to listen to the audiobooks for all of this series, but even when I'm reading the print book I keep hearing Coleen's voices for each of the characters. Especially the familiar's like Archie and Pepe. Her narration is spot and enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

To Catch a Witch was a magical, stellar read and I strongly encourage readers to pick it up.

Book Review: Send in the Clowns by Julie Mulhern

Haunted houses are scary enough without knife-wielding clowns. Especially murderous knife-wielding clowns. So thinks Ellison Russell, single mother, artist, and reluctant sleuth.

Now death wears a red nose and Ellison is up to the blood-stained collar of her new trench coat in costumes, caffeine, and possible killers. Who stabbed Brooks Harney? And why? Money? Jealousy? Drugs?

With Mother meddling, her father furious, and her date dragged downtown for questioning, turns out Ellison’s only confidante is Mr. Coffee.[summary via Amazon]

It's Halloween in Kansas City, Missouri, and Ellison Russell is caught up in a Halloween mystery. When Ellison enters a haunted house looking for her daughter, she finds a dead body. Literally the body of Brooks Harney is thrown at her. As she investigates she finds more secrets than she wants to know!

I seriously love this series. I've now read three books in this series in three days. Needless to say my house is a mess, but I've been on a wild, wild ride with the Country Club members and Ellison Russell and I don't regret a minute of it.

Send in the Clowns spooked me from the very beginning. A haunted house with a clown being killed by a clown. Clowns scare the bejesus out of me (thank you Stephen King!). However, I put aside my fear of clowns because I knew this was going to be a great mystery, and I was right! 

All the regular crew were back in this mystery, Ellison's parents, her daughter, Grace, her housekeeper, Aggie, and of course Detective Anarchy Jones and Hunter Tafft. We also get introduced to new characters, and of course that means new secrets and more suspenseful mystery. The mystery was top notch and it left me on the edge of my seat, trying to unravel it, right up to the end!

Ellison's family is always full of drama, and this book was no different. Without meaning to, Ellison runs up against her mother, father and sister, as she doesn't always seem to do what they want. I love Ellison's mom, Frances, in a love-to-hate-her kind of way. She reminds me of Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls, as she tries to take control of every situation and run her family with a iron fist. Unfortunately Ellison has ideas of her own, how her life should be.

Send in the Clowns was another fantastic read, and if you're not reading this series yet, you should be! 

Book Review: Clouds in my Coffee by Julie Mulhern

When Ellison Russell is nearly killed at a benefactors’ party, she brushes the incident aside as an unhappy accident. But when her house is fire-bombed, she’s shot at, and the person sitting next to her at a gala is poisoned, she must face facts.

Someone wants her dead. But why? And can Ellison find the killer before he strikes again?

Add in an estranged sister, a visiting aunt with a shocking secret, and a handsome detective staying in her guesthouse, and Ellison might need more than cream in her coffee.[summary via Amazon]

Ellison is back for another adventure in this third book in the Country Club Murders. It's a crazy time as Ellison is joined by a crazy aunt and a sister suffering a mid-life crisis. If that's enough, someone is trying to kill her.

I absolutely love the Country Club Murders. I read Guaranteed to Bleed (book 2) and Clouds in my Coffee (book 3) back to back. I simply can't get enough of Ellison Russell, her family and the elite snobby (aka bitchy) women in this series.

In Clouds in my Coffee we're introduced to Marjorie, Ellison's spoiled and selfish sister, and Aunt Sis, her eccentric aunt. With these two in town life gets really interesting, with new secrets and new enemies. The secrets are over-the-top juicy, and the action and adventure are fast-paced, as Ellison tries to figure out who is trying to kill her, and stop her family from an all-out brawl.

I love the fast-pace of this series. The book just flies past, as you get caught up in the life of the country club elite, and try to solve the mystery before Ellison. Add in the delicious lawyer, Hunter Tafft, and delectable homicide detective, Anarchy Jones, and this series a thrill a minute with a hot romantic atmosphere.

I can't say enough good things about this series. If you haven't checked it out yet you need to... now!

Book Review: Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern

With his dying breath, Bobby Lowell begs Ellison Russell, "Tell her I love her." Unable to refuse, Ellison struggles to find the girl the murdered boy loved. Too bad an epically bad blind date, a vindictive graffiti artist, and multiple trips to the emergency room keep getting in the way. Worse, a killer has Ellison in his sights, her newly rebellious daughter is missing, and there's yet another body in her hostas. Mother won't be pleased.

Now Ellison must track down not one, but two runaway teenagers, keep her promise to Bobby, and elude the killer - all before her next charity gala committee meeting.[summary via Amazon]

In the second book in the Country Club Murders, Ellison Russell and her daughter, Grace, are piecing their lives together after the death of Henry, Ellison's cheating husband and Grace's father. When Ellison stumbles across an injured and almost-dead high schooler, Bobby Lowell, at a football game, she's thrown headlong into another mystery. Ellison must try to find the girl Bobby loved, and try to find a murderer too!

I absolutely devoured Guaranteed to Bleed. I finished it in less than a day. This juicy, fast-paced mystery was simply fantastic. I really enjoyed the first book, The Deep End, but this second book was even better. As the reader, we already know most of the main characters, and Julie Mulhern has added extra depth to them, as their story continues.

I love the setting of this series - the elite country club, with lots of juicy secrets, and everyone wants to know all the secrets! However, it seems Ellison knows most of the secrets and she has to work to keep them to herself.

Ellison is a very complex and interesting character. She's deeply hurt by the actions of her late husband, and definitely not ready to thaw out her heart and move on. Although it's clear when she does move on she has two men waiting in the wings. In the form of Detective Anarchy Jones (isn't that the best name?) and family lawyer, Hunter Tafft. 

The mystery was complex and interesting. I like how little side stories were woven into the main mystery, and it kept me flipping pages faster and faster.

Guaranteed to Bleed is simply delicious, and full of tantalizing gossip and drama, and I'm excited to find out what is ahead for Ellison, her love life, and further mystery and mayhem.

Book Review: A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander

Welcome to Torte-a small-town family bakeshop where the coffee is hot, the muffins are fresh, and the cakes are definitely to die for...

It's autumn in Ashland, Oregon-'tis the season for a spiced hot apple cider with a serving (or two) of Torte's famous peach cobbler. It's also the perfect time for Jules Capshaw to promote her family's beloved bake shop by competing in The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake. The prize is $25,000. But as Jules quickly learns, some people would kill for that kind of dough. Literally.

Then, just as Jules dusts off her Bavarian Chocolate Cake recipe and cinches up her apron, the corpse of a fellow contestant is discovered-death by buttercream. What began as a fun, tasteful televised adventure has morphed into something of a true-crime detective show for Jules and everybody else on set. Who could have killed Chef Marco, and why? Can Jules sift out the killer before someone else gets burned?[summary via Amazon]

A Batter of Life and Death is the second book in the Bakeshop Mysteries. The theatre season is winding down for Jules and the residents of Ashland, Oregan's prime spot for everything Shakespearian. However, that doesn't mean that life is about to get quiet. With the appearance of The Pastry Channel's reality tv show, Take the Cake, life is getting really interesting in Ashland. Especially since Jules is a contestant on the show! Things really heat up when one of the contestant's is found dead.

I love to bake and I love to read. However, I'm generally more interested in the cozy mysteries that feature around bookstores and libraries. However, with the underlying Shakespearian tone of this series, I absolutely love the Bakeshop mysteries. The mouthwatering desserts, the tantalizing mystery and the delightful characters in Ashland keep me coming back for more.

I liked that A Batter of Life and Death features around the chaotic world of reality tv cooking shows. I'm a big fan of cooking shows, especially Netflix's Nailed It!, and I liked reading about the drama behind the scenes. Of course there is bound to be drama with melodramatic chefs on board, but the drama turns deadly this time.

The mystery itself kept me on my toes. While I was reading I kept trying to guess who the murderer was, and I had to keep adjusting my guess with every twist and turn!! In the end Jules solved the crime before I did!

I love Ashland and the characters! I'm very much a character-driven reader, and there are so many interesting characters in Ashland, to get to know. I especially love theatre director, Lance. There is an edge to Lance, and every time I wonder if he is the murderer. He especially keeps me on my toes.

A Batter of Life and Death was a delightful and tantalizing mystery and I can't wait to go back for another helping of this series!

New Audiobook Releases - April 15 - 21, 2019

Check out new audiobooks coming week of April 15-21, 2019.

Braking for Bodies by Duffy Brown

Christmas, Criminals and Campers by Tonya Kappes

A Passion for Haunted Fashion by Rose Pressey

Steamed Open by Barbara Ross

Book Review: Better Off Read by Nora Page

When her best hope of saving her storm-damaged library is found murdered, senior librarian Cleo Watkins hits the road in her bookmobile in search of justice. 

Septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins won’t be shushed when an upstart young mayor threatens to permanently shelve her tiny town’s storm-damaged library. She takes to her bookmobile, Words on Wheels, to collect allies and rally library support throughout Catalpa Springs, Georgia.

However, Cleo soon rolls into trouble. A major benefactor known for his eccentric DIY projects requests all available books on getting away with murder. He’s no Georgia peach, and Cleo wonders if she should worry about his plans. She knows she should when she discovers him bludgeoned and evidence points to her best friend, Mary-Rose Garland.

Sure of Mary-Rose’s innocence, Cleo applies her librarian’s sleuthing skills to the case, assisted by friends, family, and the dapper antiquarian bookseller everyone keeps calling her boyfriend. Evidence stacks up, but a killer is overdue to strike again. With lives and her library on the line, Cleo must shift into high gear to close the book on murder in Better Off Read, the charming Bookmobile series debut by Nora Page.[summary via Amazon]

Better Off Read is the first book in the Bookmobile Mysteries by Nora Page, and for me, it was love at first page!! I was instantly captivated by this unique mystery that sees Septuagenarian librarian, Cleo Watkins, throw herself into solving a murder mystery in her sweet town of Catalpa Springs.

A lot of cozy mystery novels I read feature middle-aged amateur sleuths trying to solve murder mysteries. While I love the middle age sleuths (I'm now almost at that middle age, but I'm not sure I could solve a real life murder), it was great to see an older sleuth and one that isn't retired. No, the retired life isn't for Cleo - instead she's still a librarian - albeit one that is trying to save her library, after it was hit with water damage, and solve a mystery too!!

Cleo has help in the form of a couple of four-legged friends, as well as her grandson, Ollie, and her best friend, Mary-Rose Garland. Together they go on a wild ride together, trying to solve the mystery!

I loved all the interesting people that make up Catalpa Springs, and oh gosh are there some real "characters"! I really liked how close Cleo is with her family, and "just like family" friends. Her grandson, Ollie, lives in the little cottage in her backyard, and they have a very close relationship. I'm really looking forward to reading future novels, to see how these characters develop further.

The mystery itself was interesting and kept me glued right to the end. Add in delightful characters, including Rhett Butler, her gorgeous Persian, and beau Henry's cute pug, Mr Chaucer, and you have a first class mystery that you won't be able to put down.

If you love book-themed cozy mysteries you don't want to miss this series.

Book Review: Purrder She Wrote by Cate Conte

Purrder She Wrote is second in the pawsitively charming new feline mystery series from Cate Conte set off the New England coast, where curiosity leads to some killer small-town secrets.... 

It’s the grand opening of Daybreak Island’s cat café, where customers can get cozy with an assortment of friendly felines―and maybe even take one or a few home. Co-owner Maddie James is purring with excitement over her new warm-and-fuzzy venture. . .until she becomes entangled in a petty drama between one of her volunteers, an ardent animal-rights activist, and a wealthy woman who insists on adopting a calico kitty―right this instant. The catfight that ensues is bad enough for business. But when the snubbed socialite is found dead with a tell-tale catnip toy on the scene, suspicion lands squarely on Maddie’s staffer. Now, with her reputation and her career prospects on the line (to say nothing of her budding romance with a handsome pet groomer) Maddie must do whatever it takes to solve the crime―before her nine lives are up. [summary via Amazon]

In the second book in the Cat Cafe Mysteries, Maddie Day and her Grandpa, Leo, are celebrating opening day of their Cat Cafe, on the gorgeous Daybreak Island. The day doesn't go as smoothly as planned when a "cat fight" erupts between volunteer, Adele Barrows, and a rich socialite, Holly Hawthorne. When Holly is found dead (with a cat toy stuffed in her mouth!), all fingers point to Adele. Together with her Grandpa, Maddie tries to clear Adele's name and find the real murderer.

I fell in love with JJ (Junkyard Johnny) in the first Cat Cafe Mystery, Cat About Town, and I was so eager to take another trip back to Daybreak Island and see what the gang was up to. Of course with a cat as curious and intelligent as JJ, it has to be mischief and mayhem!

This second book was even better than the first. In Cat About Town Maddie has returned to Daybreak Island, and decided to settle back down in her hometown. In Purrder She Wrote it felt like she's finally starting to find her place - especially with her new business, the Cat Cafe, and her love interest, Lucas. And, of course, add in a little murder mystery to keep her life interesting!

I liked that the mystery itself centred around cat welfare. Adele is militant about the feral cat population on the island. She doesn't hesitate to set rich, socialite Holly Hawthorne straight about the responsibility of owning a cat. Animal welfare is a strong theme in this series. As a cat owner myself (to three spoilt felines - all from shelters), I loved that there is a strong emphasis on this.

A new development in this book, with respect to animal welfare, is the introduction of "Pet Pantry on Wheels" - a service similar to Meals on Wheels. This is such a great idea - delivering food to seniors with animals they care for, and for those that can't afford to feed their pets, but are still such wonderful pet owners.

This series is a truly wonderful read for animal lovers, and it just keeps getting better and better. Whether you're a crazy cat lady or not, you should definitely pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

Book Review: Hark the Herald Angels Slay by Vicki Delany

The town of Rudolph, New York, has the Christmas spirit all year long—but when homicide heats up a summer holiday, it’s up to shop owner Merry Wilkinson to wrap up the case. 

In Rudolph, Christmas in July heralds Santa’s arrival by boat to begin his summer vacation at the lake, and Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, is looking forward to a busy weekend. But she’s caught off guard when her ex-fiancé, Max Folger, unexpectedly arrives with a team from a lifestyle magazine wanting to do a feature on the July festivities. 

It’s clear that Max’s visit has less to do with business and more to do with winning back Merry’s heart. Merry has too much on her plate to deal with an old flame, but when Max is found strangled to death in Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, she must find out who wanted him dead—and stop a killer from ruining the summer holiday cheer.[summary via Amazon]

Yesterday, in Saskatchewan, it was a dreary, overcast day and I needed to beat the cold, Spring blues. The answer? A Year-Round Christmas Mystery. I was in need of Christmas coziness and Vicki Delany delivered.

For those that haven't taken a trip to Rudolph, NY. As the name suggests it's a picturesque little town, where Christmas shines 365 days a year. In Rudolph you can stay at the Yuletide Inn, and do your Christmas shopping at Mrs Claus' Treasures, where you will meet Merry Wilkinson. 

In the third book in this series, Rudolph is celebrating their second biggest holiday - Christmas in July, and Merry is ready to take in the celebrations. That is, until her ex-fiance turns up to cause trouble. Trouble comes in the form of his dead body in her shop!

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I had forgotten how much I really liked this series. Hark the Herald Angels Slay quickly brought me back to that supreme cozy feeling of falling between the pages of a really good book. Vicki Delany delivers a brilliant pace that makes the reader feel as cozy and content as a really good cup of cocoa on Christmas Eve. The pages flew by as I got caught up in the mystery, and trying to solve it, alongside Merry.

If the mystery itself isn't enough to entice, then pick up the series for Mattie "Matterhorn", the most adorable Saint Bernard to grace the pages. I absolutely can't wait for another adventure with Merry, Mattie and everyone in Rudolph, NY.

Cozies by Theme: National Golfer's Day & National Bookmobile Day

"Cozies by Theme" is a feature highlighting national "themed" days with cozy mysteries.

Today is National Golfer's Day, so why not check out the Golf Lover's Mysteries by Roberta Isleib.

Cassandra Burdette used to carry clubs on the PGA tour - now she's swinging them at the Qualifying School for the LPGA Tour. The competition is fierce, but the standout so far is Kaitlin Rupert - whose talent and beauty are eclipsed only by her attitude. But it's still a shock when Kaitlin's psychiatrist is found brutally murdered - and even more of a shock when the police look at Cassie as a prime suspect. [summary via Amazon]

Check out the Golf Lover's Mysteries at Amazon.

* * * * *

Today is National Bookmobile Day, so why not check out the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries by Laurie Cass.

With the help of her rescue cat, Eddie, librarian Minnie Hamilton is driving a bookmobile based in the resort town of Chilson, Michigan. But she’d better keep both hands on the wheel, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride…

Eddie followed Minnie home one day, and now she can’t seem to shake the furry little shadow. But in spite of her efforts to contain her new pal, the tabby sneaks out and trails her all the way to the bookmobile on its maiden voyage. Before she knows it, her slinky stowaway becomes her cat co-pilot!

Minnie and Eddie’s first day visiting readers around the county seems to pass without trouble—until Eddie darts outside at the last stop and leads her to the body of a local man who’s reached his final chapter.

Initially, Minnie is ready to let the police handle this case, but Eddie seems to smell a rat. Together, they’ll work to find the killer—because a good librarian always knows when justice is overdue. [summary via Amazon]

Check out the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries at Amazon.

Book Review: The Inspector & Mrs Jeffries by Emily Brightwell

She keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon...and keeps him on his toes. Everyone's awed by his Scotland Yard successes—but they don't know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs. Jeffries's polished detection skills are up to the task...proving that behind every great man there's a great woman—and that a crime-solver's work is never done.[summary via Amazon]

The Inspector & Mrs Jeffries is the first book in the long running Victorian Murder Mystery series by Emily Brightwell. Inspector Gerald Witherspoon is relatively new to the Scotland Yard. With a few successful cases under his belt, he feels like he's up to the task of solving the murder of Dr Slocum. What Inspector Witherspoon doesn't know is that his housekeeper, Mrs Jeffries, along with his other household staff, help him find clues and lead him to the answers.

I love British mysteries. I first discovered cozy mysteries with Agatha Christie's novels, as a teen, and I've always enjoyed the British mysteries just a little bit more. On the recommendation of a friend, I picked up the first book in the Victorian Murder Mysteries series and I'm so glad I did.

Mrs Hepzibah Jeffries and her the household staff at Upper Edmonton Gardens are skilled at keeping a house in top shape, but also at finding clues and solving mysteries. I loved watching Mrs Jeffries achieve the subtle art of putting clues under Inspector Witherspoon's nose, without him actually knowing he was doing it. Inspector Witherspoon is such a dear person, but not very bright, and without the help of Mrs Jeffries I'm sure there would still be a murderer at large!!

The Victorian Murder Mysteries is a long-running series (30+ books) to date, but it is definitely worth the time to start the series from the first book, The Inspector and Mrs Jeffries. I instantly felt a connection with all the characters. The household is made up of such interesting characters, and I'm sure, alike to me, other readers are going to enjoy them immensely. 

If you like British mysteries, this is a series you don't want to miss. I'm glad that I discovered the series relatively late in its shelf life, as I now have 30+ books to catch up on and enjoy.

Book Review: When the Cat's Away by Dane McCaslin

Mystery writer Caro Layton-Browning has a bad case of writer's block and boredom—a very dangerous combination. Looking for something to distract her, she pays a visit to her newest neighbor, Meredith Holmes, the proprietor of a kitschy bookstore called Murder by the Book. When Meredith confides in Caro concerning an on-going battle with the president of the Seneca Meadows Chamber of Commerce, Caro jumps at the chance to liven things up a bit. Vowing to give "the dragon lady," Lucia Scarantelli, a piece of her mind, Caro takes Meredith downtown to confront the issue head-on. 

Apparently someone else had the same idea. When Caro literally stumbles over the body of a very dead Lucia, she becomes determined to find out who did it—before hubby, Gregory, returns from a business trip to England. Teaming up with Meredith, Caro starts an investigation that uncovers a stolen goods ring which stretches from New York City to Seneca Meadows. 

With just enough information to make her a threat to the bad guys, Caro begins to worry that this could be her last case...and possibly the end of her life. [summary via Amazon]

I absolutely adored the first book in the Proverbial Crime Mysteries, see my review of A Bird in the Hand here. With the fourth book due out soon, I was eager to catch up with this series and I picked up the second book in the series, When the Cat's Away.

Dane McCaslin follows up a really strong debut with an even better second book in When the Cat's Away. We're taken back to Seneca Meadows, where Caro is trying to keep herself out of trouble, and work on her manuscript. However, it seems like trouble has a way of finding Caro when she stumbles across a dead body. Along with her new friend Meredith "Merry" Holmes, she gets involved in trying to find a killer. When the dead bodies start stacking it up, it looks like they may be in over their head.

I love Caro. She's impulsive and daring, and she runs headlong into trouble. When I first met Caro and Gregory in the first book, they reminded me very much of Agatha Christie's famous duo detectives, Tommy and Tuppence. Caro being the impulsive and daring female, that is bored unless she's solving a crime, and Gregory more being the voice of reason (as Tommy tries to for Tuppence). Of course this time Gregory has gone away, and it just leaves Caro to find someone else to help her investigate. Enter the just as impulsive and daring (maybe even crazy and wild) Merry. Together these girls get into adventures that would rival the adventures of Thelma and Louise - and I loved every second of it!!

The mystery itself was very interesting, that had me guessing to the end. Kudos to the author on a denouement that left me in awe of her genius deductive skills. I certainly didn't see it coming.

When the Cat's Away is a perfect follow-up in this series, and I can't wait to see what Caro gets up to next!

Book Review: The Deep End by Julie Mulhern

Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life. 

It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail. 

As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her?[summary via Amazon]

The Deep End is the first book in the Country Club Murders, and if this first one is any indicator I'm going to want to read every single one in this series - and fast.

I absolutely soaked up this first story. I was hooked from the first page, and didn't want to put it down until I turned the last page. I then hurried to the library to pick up books 2, 3 and 4. Yes, I am well and truly hooked!!

What made it so great? Julie Mulhern tells a fantastic story, with intriguing characters and well... it was just awesome. Set in 1974, it isn't quite historical, but neither is it modern day, and it has a great edge to it. It still fits within the cozy mystery genre, but features blackmail among the country club elite, and it was absolutely addictive reading.

I really liked Ellison. She's not like other characters I've come across. While she is married to an absolute horrid man, it was nice to see her develop a back bone and see what she needs to change to make her life - and her daughter's life - better. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Ellison's adventures, and seeing what her new life will entail.

If you haven't picked up the Country Club Murders today, you really should - and while you're there grab all the book in the series, because you're going to want to read them all!

Book Review: The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns

Samantha Washington has dreamed of owning her own mystery bookstore for as long as she can remember. And as she prepares for the store’s grand opening, she’s also realizing another dream—penning a cozy mystery set in England between the wars. While Samantha hires employees and fills the shelves with the latest mysteries, quick-witted Lady Penelope Marsh, long-overshadowed by her beautiful sister Daphne, refuses to lose the besotted Victor Carlston to her sibling's charms. When one of Daphne's suitors is murdered in a maze, Penelope steps in to solve the labyrinthine puzzle and win Victor. 

But as Samantha indulges her imagination, the unimaginable happens in real life. A shady realtor turns up dead in her backyard, and the police suspect her—after all, the owner of a mystery bookstore might know a thing or two about murder. Aided by her feisty grandmother and an enthusiastic ensemble of colorful retirees, Samantha is determined to close the case before she opens her store. But will she live to conclude her own story when the killer has a revised ending in mind for her?[summary via Amazon]

While I've been away from reviewing cozy mysteries, there has been so many new series published. The fun part of being away is discovering these fantastic new series, many of which already have 2-3 books in the series already. One of the new series I picked up is the Mystery Bookstore Mysteries, by V.M. Burns. If this first book is any indicator, this series has just become my new favourite series!

In The Plot is Murder we are introduced to recently widowed Samantha Washington, who has traded her job as a high school teacher to follow her dreams of owning a mystery bookstore. Samantha becomes embroiled in a real life mystery when her realtor turns up dead. As if starting her own bookstore and trying to clear her name isn't enough, by night Samantha is writing her first cozy mystery.

I love, loved, really loved this first book in the Mystery Bookstore Mysteries. I instantly connected with The Plot is Murder, and practically read it in one sitting. Everywhere I went, this book was in my hands. That's how much I enjoyed it.

The setting was perfect - who doesn't love a good bookstore, especially a mystery one? The mystery itself was really interesting and kept my attention. However it was the characters that really sold me on this series. Samantha has a little help in solving the mystery - the Sleuthing Seniors, who are made up of her Nana Jo and Nana Jo's senior friends. These girls are an absolute right and add just the right amount of laughs to the story. Together with Sam, they do what they need to do to solve the mystery - which even includes dating suspects!

There is also the added bonus of reading the story within the story - the historical cozy mystery that Samantha is writing. I was so enthralled with both stories - the modern day mystery involving the realtor and the historical mystery involving a dead suitor - and I didn't want either of them to end.

The Plot is Murder is a top notch, first class mystery and one you don't want to miss.

Book Review: Meet the Baker by Ellie Alexander

Welcome to Torte-a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it's criminal... 

After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte's customers turns up dead, there's much ado about murder...[summary via Amazon]

I love a good food-themed cozy mystery. There is nothing better than a tantalizing mystery, and reading it with a cup of tea and a sweet baked treat. This experience was at it's best with the first book in the Bakeshop Mysteries, Meet the Baker.

Juliet Capshaw is fresh-off-the-boat, as she takes time away from her cruise ship job to nurse a broken heart and spend time with her mom, who owns and runs Torte, in her hometown of Ashford, a magnet to thespians everywhere. What she doesn't expect is to get caught up in her murder and mayhem, when a local is found dead in Torte's kitchen.

I love Shakespeare and all the adaptions of his plays. Whether it is in an open air theatre, a move re-telling, or just reading Julius Caesar, it sends my literary senses into overdrive. Combining Shakespeare with a tantalizing mystery, delectable treats and interesting characters, made Meet the Baker a five-star read for me.

The mystery was top-notch and it left me guessing right until end. Nope, this wasn't one where I guessed the killer! Juliet (yes she's named after that Juliet) and her mom cook up some mouth-watering treats and I was pleased to see some great recipes at the end of the mystery for me to try! However, it was the characters and their love of Shakespeare that is going to have me coming back for every single book in this series. I was completely delighted with the Shakespeare quotes spread through the book.

Whether you enjoy delectable recipes, literary references or a tantalizing mystery, this series is one you don't want to miss.