Book Review: Dedication to Murder by Lauren Elliott

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

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

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

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

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

Book Review: Diamond and Daggers by Nancy Warren

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

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

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

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

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

Book Review: Murder in a Village Church by Victoria Walters

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

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

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

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

Book Review: Beer and Loathing by Ellie Alexander

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

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

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

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

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

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