Book Review: Pies Before Guys by Kirsten Weiss

A poetry slam at a bakery? Why not! Even though Pie Town proprietor Val Harris would rather be spending time with her newfound half-brother, she knows her employee Abril is beyond excited to be hosting the event. Especially since it stars the apple pie of Abril’s eye, poet and professor Michael Starke. But the evening ends on a sour note when Professor Starke is found murdered mere moments after being accused of plagiarism.

Just like that, Pie Town is at the center of another criminal inquiry. At Abril’s request—and much to Detective Carmichael’s consternation—Val and Charlene decide to investigate Starke’s death. But the case is as tough as an overworked crust and the Baker Street Bakers are only coming up with scraps. If they don’t pinch the cultured killer soon, Pie Town’s reputation could crumble.[summary via Amazon]

Do you know what is even better than pie? A Pie Town mystery! This is exactly what I discovered when I dove head-first in the Pie Town Mysteries!

Pies Before Guys is the fourth book in the Pie Town Mysteries, and sees Pie Town owner, Val Harris, get involved in a murder investigation, when a college professor is found dead after he attends a poetry slam at her bakery. What did Professor Starke do to deserve such an untimely death? Was it the ex-wife? The ex-wife's boyfriend? Or someone else. It's up to the Baker Street Bakers to solve the mystery!

Lately, I've been throwing myself right into cozy mysteries mid-series. I love just diving right into a new cozy town, and cozy towns don't get much better than San Nicholas. San Nicholas is home to Pie Town, and all the quirky and interesting locals that hang out at the bakery! They don't get more quirky than pie-crust maker, Charlene, with her narcoleptic cat, Frederick, who hangs out on her shoulder all day. Charlene is obsessed with creating local and internet sensations with pie-dish UFO's and her adventures with this were absolutely hilarious!!

Kristen Weiss crafts an interesting whodunnit. She creates a tangle of a mystery, with very little suspects. Even given so little "players" in the mystery, I still wasn't able to solve the mystery before Val and Charlene. This is definitely a mystery that kept me on my toes!!

I really loved Pies Before Guys. This is a fun series in the culinary cozies sub-genre. It's full of unique, interesting characters - my favorite being Charlene, of course, because we all need a UFO-obsessed friend in our lives! I highly recommend this series, for both the mystery and colorful characters... and of course the delectable pie recipes too!!

Book Review: There's A Murder Afoot by Vicki Delany

The 6th of January is Sherlock Holmes's birthday, and lucky for Gemma Doyle, January is also the slowest time of the year at both the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, and Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room. It's a good time for Gemma and her friends to travel to England for a Holmes Convention. For Gemma, the trip provides an opportunity to visit her parents, Jayne Wilson is excited about seeing all the sites London has to offer, and Ryan Ashburton just wants to spend some time with Gemma. But the trip is immediately derailed when Gemma's father Henry recognizes his brother-in-law Randolph Denhaugh, who disappeared more than thirty years ago on the night he stole a valuable painting from his own parents.

Henry, a retired detective with Scotland Yard, has been keeping tabs on the man's career as a forger of Old Masters and he warns Randy to stay away from his family. It's up to Gemma, with the help of her friends, to plunge into the "lowest and vilest alleys" of London to save her father from prison.[summary via Amazon]

I'm a big fan of Vicki Delany's other mysteries, the Year-Round Mysteries and the Lighthouse Library Mysteries (as Eva Gates). I recently decided to plunge right into the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series with the latest book, There's a Murder Afoot. 

There's a Murder Afoot fits all my favourite things in a cozy mystery: books within books - definitely, a interesting mystery that's difficult for me to solve - oh yes, and tea - of course, we are in England aren't we?  

I'm not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. When it comes to vintage mysteries I much prefer Agatha Christie over anyone else, but I'd have to be living in a cave not know about Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock has made it big in pop culture, especially with recent movie and tv adaptions, and I love that this has helped spread the word about mysteries even more. There's a Murder Afoot takes the theme of Sherlock Holmes and creates such a strong mystery around it, that you almost forget that this wasn't written by Arthur Conan Doyle!

Gemma is back in England attending a Sherlock Holmes convention, and catching up with her family. She gets thrown right into a mystery when her long-estranged Uncle Randolph is found dead, and her father is pinned for the crime!! Gemma puts on her detecting hat, and sets about trying to unravel the mystery of not just Randolph's death, but his life as well!

I was simply charmed by the mystery and the characters. I've yet again dove straight into a series with the latest book, and I didn't feel lost at all!! I got swept up in the mystery, and enjoyed learning more about the world of art, as Uncle Randolph was an artist - of sorts! 

Gemma has some really interesting family and friends! I hope this isn't the last of her sister, Pippa, that we see. Let's just say Pippa has a very interesting life - especially her work, and I'm really hoping she pops up again!!  

As There's a Murder Afoot is set in England, and away from the bookshop, we don't see a lot of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. However I was given just enough of a taste of Gemma's life back in America - and especially her Uncle Arthur - that I can't wait to dig into the earlier books and find out all there is to know about the bookshop.

I highly recommend There's a Murder Afoot for fans of literary cozy mysteries. Vicki Delany is a master in the genre of cozy mysteries, and once you read one of her books you're going to want to read them all!! Alike to me you can jump right in with any book, and be positively charmed (as I was), but I guarantee that you will be wanting to read all the other books as well!!

Book Review: Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

When Hannah learns that her sister Michelle’s boyfriend, Detective Lonnie Murphy, is the prime suspect in a murder case, she goes straight from a movie studio sound stage to the Los Angeles airport.

Back in frigid Minnesota, she discovers that proving Lonnie’s innocence will be harder than figuring out what went wrong with a recipe. Lonnie remembers only parts of the night he went out to a local bar and ended up driving a very impaired woman home. He knows he helped her to her bedroom, but he doesn’t recall anything else until he woke up on her couch the following morning. When he went to the bedroom to check on her, he was shocked to discover she was dead.

Hannah doesn’t know what to believe—only that exonerating a suspect who can’t remember is almost impossible, especially since Lonnie’s brother, Detective Rick Murphy, and Lonnie’s partner, Chief Detective Mike Kingston, have been taken off the case. Before everything comes crashing down on Lonnie like a heaping slice of coconut layer cake, it’ll be up to Hannah to rack up enough clues to toast a flaky killer . . .[summary via Amazon]

It's time for another visit to Lake Eden, and this time it is going to be Hannah Swensen's 25th mystery!! I can barely believe it's been 25 books since I picked up Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, one of the very first cozy mysteries I ever read. From that very first book, Joanne Fluke has been delighting me with suspenseful mysteries and mouth-watering recipes, and Coconut Layer Cake Murder is no exception!

In Coconut Layer Cake Murder, Hannah and her mom, Delores, are off to sunny California, to help a friend move back to Lake Eden. However, not all is sunshine and happiness. When Hannah receives a frantic phone call from her sister, Michelle, she must turn her back on the sunshine and head back to freezing Lake Eden to help clear Michelle's boyfriend, Lonnie, who is the number one suspect in a murder case.  It's up to Hannah, with help from Norman, and the rest of the Lake Eden gang to put their heads together and solve the crime before Lonnie is put away for life.

I've loved every book in the Hannah Swensen mysteries, and it's one of two very long-running series that I've kept up with every book. It always delivers the coziest of cozy towns (I want to move to Lake Eden - minus the murders of course!) and a page-turning mystery. This time, I guessed the mystery quite a while before Hannah and her sleuthing friends, but this didn't diminish my enjoyment. I love watching Hannah follow the clues, and solve the mystery. 

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (book 24) leaves readers with a cliffhanger, and Coconut Layer Cake Murder picks up this storyline right away. For this reason I don't recommend starting this series with Coconut Layer Cake. Each book in this series builds on the previous, and it's best to read in order. I suggest starting with Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. You won't disappointed, as this series is one of the most recommended, for good reason!! If you are a fan of "food-themed" cozy mysteries you need to read this series!

I'm looking forward to Christmas Cupcake Murder, coming out in September. From the start I've been #TeamNorman and I can't wait to see if my Christmas wish comes true!! I would love to see Hannah settle down with ever-lasting romance one of these days!!

Book Review: And Then There Were Crumbs by Eve Calder

Kate McGuire’s life was sweet in Manhattan before she lost her restaurant job and fiancé both. But sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, and soon she finds herself starting from scratch in the island town of Coral Cay, Florida. It has everything she’s looking for: sunny beaches, friendly locals, and a Help Wanted sign in the bakery shop window. Once she convinces the shop’s crusty owner Sam Hepplewhite to hire her, Kate can’t tie on her apron fast enough. Little does she know that trouble, like warm dough, is on the rise. . .

Stewart Lord is a real estate developer with a taste for a different type of dough: the green kind. He knows that he could make a killing by purchasing the Cookie House from Sam, who flat-out refuses to sell. But when Stewart turns up the heat on Sam—then turns up dead after eating a fresh batch of Sam’s cinnamon rolls—all eyes focus on the town’s beloved bakery. When the police arrest Sam for murder, Kate must somehow prove that her curmudgeonly boss is innocent. Enlisting the help of a team of lovable locals, Kate sets out to catch the real culprit with his hand in the cookie jar…before someone else gets burned.[summary via Amazon]

I recently read Sugar and Vice, the second Cookie House Mystery, and I loved it so much that I wanted to go back and read the first book, and find out how the story started. Let me preface this by saying, I always say I will do this and never do. Why not? Because my pile of books is usually so high and I always get side-tracked by another cozy mystery. However, in this case Sugar and Vice charmed me so much that I made sure I bought And Then There Were Crumbs at my next bookstore visit, so that I would do just that! Did I mention how much Sugar and Vice charmed me?

So here is the first book in the delightful Cookie House Mysteries... We see Kate McGuire arriving in Coral Cay, and it is almost like destiny when she ends up on the doorstep of the Cookie House. However, what first starts as helping curmudgeonly baker, Sam Hepplewhite, out in his bakery soon turns to detective when he is accused of murdering Stewart Lord.

From reading Sugar and Vice I knew that Sam doesn't get convicted of murder, but not who the actual murderer was. I love this about cozy mysteries. The reader knows that there is past mysteries but not exactly who did the actual killing. It's one of my favourite things about cozies - it means you can pick up a book mid-series and still go back and enjoy the earlier stories.

I was already smitten with Kate, her adorable pup, Oliver, and Coral Cay. And Then There Were Crumbs absolutely deepened this love. I love how she makes that transition from tourist to local, and her relationships with the locals, especially florist, Maxi. They are definitely a duo partners-in-crime that spur each other on, into mischief and adventure!!

The mystery itself was really fascinating. It twisted around with a well-planned plot, and I love the final denouement. It definitely is one of a kind, and one that I didn't see coming!

I can't recommend this series enough!! It is #1 in my favourite culinary cozy mysteries right now, and I hope I've encouraged more readers to try it. Pick up And Then There Were Crumbs today and enjoy a first-class debut. Oh, and hey, while you're at the store, why not pre-order Sugar and Vice too. You won't be disappointed!

Book Review: Of Books & Bagpipes by Paige Shelton

Delaney Nichols has settled so comfortably into her new life in Edinburgh that she truly feels it’s become more home than her once beloved Kansas. Her job at the Cracked Spine, a bookshop that specializes in rare manuscripts as well as other sundry valuable historical objects, is everything she had dreamed, with her new boss, Edwin MacAlister, entrusting her more and more with bigger jobs. Her latest task includes a trip to Castle Doune, a castle not far out of Edinburgh, to retrieve a hard-to-find edition of an old Scottish comic, an “Oor Wullie,” in a cloak and dagger transaction that Edwin has orchestrated.

While taking in the sights of the distant Highlands from the castle’s ramparts, Delaney is startled when she spots a sandal-clad foot at the other end of the roof. Unfortunately, the foot’s owner is very much dead and, based on the William Wallace costume he’s wearing, perfectly matches the description of the man who was supposed to bring the Oor Wullie. As Delaney rushes to call off some approaching tourists and find the police, she comes across the Oor Wullie, its pages torn and fluttering around a side wall of the castle. Instinct tells her to take the pages and hide them under her jacket. It’s not until she returns to the Cracked Spine that she realizes just how complicated this story is and endeavors to untangle the tricky plot of why someone wanted this man dead, all before getting herself booked for murder.[summary via Amazon]

Booklovers rejoice, there is a bookstore in Scotland (albeit a fictional one), that holds magic and charm, and every step inside is an adventure. Of course I'm talking about The Cracked Spine and the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries.

Delaney is running an errand for Edwin, owner of The Cracked Spine. She's picking up a comic book, a old comic book called Oor Wullie. However, when the person she's supposed to pick the book up from is found dead, in a castle no less, she sets her sights on investigating and solving the crime. Who is this Billy Armstrong and what is his connection with Edwin?

I love stepping inside The Cracked Spine and joining Delaney for a new adventure. As her side kick she has her adoptive parents in Scotland "Elias and Aggie", who help her find clues and put them together. She also has her "booklovers-in-arms" in Rosie and Hamlet, who also work in the bookshop. Not to mention her boyfriend, Tom, who owns and runs Delaney's Pub. It all adds up to so much Scottish charm and adventure, and I love every second of it.

I really liked this mystery. It kept me guessing right until the end, and I didn't solve it before Delaney. It is definitely one of the best well-plotted mysteries I've read for a while. The mystery unravels a little of Edwin's background, and oh boy isn't he a mysterious one! From his warehouse of artefacts (yes, it completely reminds me of Warehouse 13!) to his half answers, I know there is more to Edwin then meets the eye!! 

Full of mystery, charm and "bookish voices" this series is not to be missed.

"Books, they're definitely the stuff of magic"

Book Review: Murder in the Reading Room by Ellery Adams

Jane’s boyfriend is missing, and she thinks she may find him at North Carolina’s historic Biltmore Estate. Officially, she’s there to learn about luxury hotel management, but she’s also prowling around the breathtaking buildings and grounds looking for secret passageways and clues. One of the staff gardeners promises to be helpful . . . that is, until his body turns up in the reading room of his cottage, a book on his lap.

When she finally locates the kidnapped Edwin, his captor insists that she lead him back to Storyton Hall, convinced that it houses Ernest Hemingway’s lost suitcase, stolen from a Paris train station in 1922. But before they can turn up the treasure, the bell may toll for another victim . . .[summary via Amazon]

When the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries ended (also written by Ellery Adams), I didn't think another series would capture my attention and all of my emotions so much. However, the Book Retreat Mysteries were waiting in the wings, waiting to captivate. And, captivate they do!! This series holds a very special place in my cozy heart...

Jane Steward is the Guardian of Storyton Hall, and among the responsibilities this entails, it involves murder, mayhem and protecting not just those that she loves, but also a secret library. In Murder in the Reading Room, Jane is racing to the man she loves, to save him. However what she finds changes everything she knew about being a Guardian and the people around her. 

Oh gosh... this series is everything that defines a cozy. It is set in a small town, there is murder and mayhem, and "cozy" characters and situations that give readers the "toe-curling" feeling of wanting to curl up with this book for hours. However, it also provides so much more than the traditional cozy. I finished Murder in the Reading Room and described its words as "constantly moving, never stationary". For anyone that has read a book by Ellery Adams this is such a perfect description, because she has the ability to spin her stories on the axis and move them in a direction that we never see coming, a direction that is the perfect evolution for the story and characters. This is exactly what happens in Murder in the Reading Room. Forget everything you thought you knew about Storyton Hall, Jane and her friends because life will never be the same again!

Every story in this series centres around at least one author in history. This time it is Ernest Hemingway and I loved reading more about him. Quite often, at the end, I put down the book, and pick up my computer to research said author. I love that Ellery Adams has me researching and wanting to learn more about the authors I'm reading about.

I cannot recommend the Book Retreat Mysteries enough. They transcend the traditional cozy, and I strongly believe that every cozy mystery reader should be reading them. Intelligent, well-plotted and definitely cozy these are books not be missed!

Book Review: Bound for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Taylorsford Public Library director Amy Webber's friend "Sunny" Fields is running for mayor. But nothing puts a damper on a campaign like an actual skeleton in a candidate's closet. Sunny's grandparents ran a commune back in the 1960s on their organic farm. But these former hippies face criminal charges when human remains are found in their fields--and a forensic examination reveals that the death was neither natural nor accidental.  

With Sunny's mayoral hopes fading, Amy sets her wedding plans aside, says "not yet" to the dress, and uses her research skills to clear her best friend's family. Any of the now-elderly commune members could have been the culprit. As former hippies perish one by one, Amy and her friends Richard, Aunt Lydia, and Hugh Chen pursue every lead. But if Amy can't find whoever killed these "flower children," someone may soon be placing flowers on her grave.[summary via Amazon]

Anyone that knows me knows that I love "books about books" the best. My favourite cozy sub-genre is the mysteries set in bookstores and libraries. The bibliophile in me just loves to get an extra dose of biblio goodness within my cozy mystery!! One of my favourites in this sub-genre is the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert. In her latest mystery she packs a lot into 311 pages: a buried body (dating back to the 60s), a recent dead body and a mystery that even the greatest sleuths will have trouble untangling!!

Firstly, I loved that the mystery surrounded a cold case, that led to other unexplained deaths. As a long-time mystery reader I love to follow the threads between cases and hunt for clues, right alongside the sleuths and the police. Bound for Murder kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to untangle the mystery. I wasn't able to untangle it before Amy was, and this increased my enjoyment immensely. I love when I'm stumped!!! This is the mark of an extremely good mystery writer!

Secondly, I have nothing but praise for Victoria Gilbert stepping away from the usual cozy mystery trope of romantically pairing the sleuth with the police chief. In this case Amy is engaged to neighbour and dancer, Richard. I've really enjoyed watching their growing romance and now their wedding is almost upon us. They make such a beautiful couple, and I'm looking forward to many more adventures with them.

Bound for Murder is the fourth instalment in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries and is one not to be missed. Victoria Gilbert delivers a intriguing mystery, that even the most experienced sleuths will have trouble untangling. More than just a mystery, Bound for Murder is another enjoyable trip to Taylorsford, catching up with all my favourite characters and activities, including Sunny and her bid to be Mayor of Taylorsford.

Book Review: In Cold Chamomile by Joy Avon

Tea party organizer Callie Aspen learns that Cupid's arrows can be deadly when a Valentine's Day soiree ends in murder.

Callie Aspen can't think of a more appropriate place to spend Valentine's Day than her adopted hometown of Heart's Harbor, Maine. When she's not helping out at Book Tea, her great-aunt Iphy's vintage tearoom, Callie's adorning Haywood Hall with hearts and roses for the big Valentine's event, where townspeople will fall in love with sweet treats, heartwarming music, and delightful books. But tension is brewing: The librarian argues with the expert who is on hand to appraise precious volumes. And Iphy is shocked to recognize the baritone who's slated to sing at the event as an old acquaintance--one she'd hoped she'd never meet again. And then, when a dead body is discovered, the stirring spoon of suspicion points at the many people who had reasons to want the victim dead.

When Iphy's old acquaintance draws the attention of Deputy Ace Falk, Callie finds herself in a spot. Ace, as usual, doesn't want Callie involved, but how can she ignore Iphy's anguish over the fate of a man she cares for more than she will admit? Bringing the killer to justice may endanger Callie's budding relationship with Ace--and, quite possibly, her own life.

Callie and the Book Tea crew may think they have this case in the bag, but un-kettling truths are yet to be decanted.[summary via Amazon]

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and Joy Avon has a delightful cozy mystery steeped with romance and intrigue that you have to read!!!

Callie and her great-aunt, Ipsy, are working together to bring romance, tea and books to a Valentine's Day event at Haywood Hall. However, the event doesn't go as planned when a book expert ends up dead. Can Callie and Ipsy save the day, and keep an innocent man out of jail?

Before I share how much I loved this book, can we take a moment to talk about that gorgeous cover? Those pinks and purples, and Daisy looking so innocent on the cover? It's a delight to the eyes, and I absolutely love how Joy Avon (and her cover designer) have captured the essence of this book, tinged with the Valentine's Day theme! It's just gorgeous!

And... the inside is just as good, if not better!!! In Cold Chamomile was my first visit to Heart's Harbour, but certainly not my last! I really enjoyed all the picturesque places, like Books Tea, and all the different people. There are so many delightful, memorable characters, including the grumpy librarian Mrs Forrester. I felt right at home in this cozy town, with so many places and people to visit.

Joy Avon crafts a tantalizing, thrilling mystery. It's easy to get caught up in the mystery, and abandon all other activities, just so you can finish this in one sitting!! The mystery is complex and well plotted, and even the most seasoned mystery readers will be stumped by this one.

I really just loved everything about this story. In particular, I love the relationships between the characters, and not just Callie and Ace. I'm so eager to pick up on these relationships in future books, and I can't wait to see what Joy Avon has in store for her characters next!!

If you're looking for the perfect Valentine's Day read pick up In Cold Chamomile. Better yet, pick it up and enjoy it with a cup of tea and a box of chocolates. It will be your best Valentine's Day gift to yourself!

Book Review: A Crafter Quilts a Crime by Holly Quinn

Snowcapped pines and glittery dusted sidewalks adorn tranquil Heartsford, Wisconsin, while residents cuddle beneath heirloom quilts in front of cozy wood fires. But come the next day, the below-zero temperatures won't keep the locals away from Heartsford's annual Fire & Ice event. To boost customer traffic at Community Craft's one-night-only sale, Samantha "Sammy" Kane persuades a few of the craftspeople who sell their wares at the store to participate in a live mannequin window display contest.

Local quilter Wanda Wadsworth emerges as a favorite to win the contest, as she manages to not move a muscle for an unusual amount of time. Onlookers outside the window try everything to get her to crack--tapping on the glass and making funny faces--but nothing disrupts Wanda's stillness. When the eagle-eyed spectators realize Wanda isn't breathing, a blanket of grief and fear descends upon the wintry town.

Detective Liam Nash can't seem to piece the clues together. Fortunately, Sammy's cousin, Heidi, and her sister, Ellie, are on hand to reconvene their detective team, S.H.E. They set out to solve Wanda's untimely death before the case grows as icy as a sub-zero Wisconsin winter. But they are all too aware that the killer is too close for comfort. [summary via Amazon]

In Heartsford, Wisconsin, townsfolk are getting ready for the annual winter festival, the Fire & Ice event. However, the evening turns deadly when local quilter, Wanda Wadsworth, is discovered dead in Sammy Kane's shop, Community Craft.  Together with her sister, Ellie, and cousin, Heidi, Sammy decides their detective trio (named S.H.E.) must put their heads together to solve the crime!

Oh, how much I loved A Crafter Quilts a Crime! This was my first trip to Heartsford, Wisconsin, but it most certainly won't be my last. Heartsford is full of the cozy town charm, that all cozy mystery readers love. I quickly became smitten with the cutesy-named shops and their occupants. However, one step inside Community Crafts and my crafty soul was singing for joy! I loved the mix of crafts and the community atmosphere, and I could just imagine myself sitting down with my quilting and ready to listen to all the gossip. 

Of course the real reason we pick up cozy mysteries is for the mystery... and this one left me absolutely stumped! I couldn't figure out who would want Wanda dead. She seemed sweet enough, if a bit of a "health nut", and certainly not someone I'd pick for an early grave! When the final denouement was unravelled I let out a little gasp! 

With a charming town and a thrilling page-turner of a mystery, A Crafter Quilts a Crime was a 5-star read for me. I leapt into this series with this book, and I didn't feel lost at all. I liked that I was able to dive right in. By the end of the book I felt like I need more of the S.H.E. gang and will definitely be reading their earlier adventures.

A Crafter Quilts a Crime is recommended for fans of "crafty" cozies and those that are looking for a good mystery to read by the fire in these chilly February days!

Audiobook Review: Prose & Cons by Amanda Flower

In Cascade Springs, New York, Violet Waverly and her grandma, Daisy, are the proprietors of Charming Books, where the power of the written word is positively enchanting... October in Cascade Springs means tourists are pouring in for the annual Food and Wine Festival, and Daisy hopes to draw those crowds to the store. She asks Violet and the local writing group, the Red Inkers, to give a reading of the works of Edgar Allan Poe in the shop’s back garden to entertain the revelers. Everyone eagerly agrees. Yet their enthusiasm is soon extinguished when Violet discovers one of the writers dead during the event. After the shop magically tells Violet she’ll need to rely on Poe’s works to solve the murder, she enlists the help of her trusty tuxedo cat, Emerson, and the shop’s crow, Faulkner. But they must act fast before someone else’s heart beats nevermore...

[summary via Amazon]

It wouldn't be a very cozy new year without reading an Amanda Flower Mystery in January. I snuck this one into my January listening, when I picked up the audiobook of Prose and Cons, the second book in the Magical Bookshop Mysteries.

Violet and Daisy have their hands full managing their magical shop, Charming Books. Coupled with the Food and Wine Festival and her job as a Professor, Daisy doesn't have a moment to spare. However, she's going to have to make time for detecting, when the body of aspiring writer, Anastasia Faber lands on her steps. Daisy must put all her detecting skills to the test to keep her best friend, Sadie out of jail, and find the real killer.

I loved the first book in this series, Crime and Poetry, so much. Daisy and her grandma, Violet, are just delightful, and they have a unique bond (being caregivers of the bookshop) that binds them together. Any story with these two women is sure to delight, and Prose and Cons is no exception.

It's not just Daisy and Violet that are always up to something. Although in this case they are up to solving the murder of the quite mean, Anastasia, who is holding a secret that will leave Cascade Springs in complete shock!! It's also their pets that are causing so much mischief as well!! Between Faulkner, the crow, and Emerson, Violet's cat, there is adventure on every page and I loved every second of it.

I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries that feature books about books. Amanda Flower combines this with the delights of a magical mystery, and the results are so tantalizing. If you like magical mysteries by Ellery Adams and Heather Blake, you're sure to like this series too!!

I listened to Prose and Cons as an audiobook, with Rachel Dulude's narration, and I really enjoyed it immensely. The time seemed to fly by, listening to it on my commute. I've already picked up the next book to start listening to it right away!!