Other Characters: Nita, Tyrone, Detective Spangler, Mrs. Webster, Will Parker , Josh Sheridan, Olivia, Simon, Chris, Beth, Neil
Pets: Inky the Cat
Stars: 5
The author has done it again with book three of the Laura Bishop Mystery. I can’t even choose which book is my favorite in the series because they are all so good. Ms. Topping has the ability to craft a suspense story in such a way that it leaves readers wanting more.
In this installment of the series, we’re back with Laura after her best friend encourages her to enter a home staging competition. We’ve got some familiar faces and some brand new ones in the mix Just as she gets ready to start staging for the challenge, a dead body is found in an old trunk.
This novel is full of unexpected twists and turns, a murder mystery, a daring attempt to apprehend a burglar, Laura’s emotional reckoning with the past, and the potential emergence of a romantic relationship.
At this time, this is the final installment in the series. However, I am hoping there will be more to come. I would be delighted to learn more about the character of Laura and the other characters who are featured in the series. Each of them has a great deal of depth and is highly interesting. I am a fan of small town tales with unexpected twists, mysteries, romance and humor.
Let me know in the comments if you have read this series.
Other Characters: Nita, Tyrone, Monica, Detective Spangler, Mrs. Webster, Will Parker, Damian Reynolds, Josh Sheridan,
Pets: Inky the Cat
Stars: 5
The second installment of Grace Topping’s Laura Bishop Mysteries series begins with a bang – or rather, a stabbing.
I really love this series. It is really a page turner. It is a series that I look forward to reading and then I have trouble putting it down. This is a sign of a brilliant book. I loved this one as much as I did the first.  It has it all, A Great protagonist that you will love, 3-dimensional characters with distinct personalities that just seem to all fit together & then of course there is Laura’s Nemesis, Monica, the one that nobody seems to like. There is always one!
Between someone sabotaging her new staging business, two dead bodies, and her nemeses in jail for one of them, Laura has her hands full.
You will enjoy the ride as Laura once again finds herself in sticky situations to discover the truth. Her investigation to solve a crime takes a lot of twists and turns with an ending you won’t see coming. I love a mystery with a good twist.
I also love that at the beginning of each chapter there are some hints on staging a house to sell.
Other Characters: Millie, Ethan, Detective Fred O’Malley
Pets: Olivia’s Golden Retriever Barkley
Stars: 5
This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be reading more. I really enjoyed this mystery. It’s a little different from what I’m used to reading. I’m used to mystery books, but rarely one that takes place more than a century ago.
Olivia, who lives in the small New England town of Sparrow Haven is the town librarian and an amateur sleuth. Mysteries has always fascinated her and her best friend, Milly. They always seem to be involved in some kind of investigation, much to the dismay of Detective Fred O’Malley. When some local teens find an old painting, it piques Olivia’s curiosity, so of course she has to find the secrets hiding beneath the brush strokes. Olivia, her Faithful companion, a Golden Retriever named Barkley, the hot new veterinarian, Ethan, and her best friend Milly solve a 100-year-old mystery with present implications. During their journey, they uncover family secrets that may be best left alone. Could uncovering the past get Olivia, Ethan and Millie killed!!
If you love a suspenseful mystery that takes you on a journey to past secrets that carry on to the present, then you will love this book. I read it in one sitting, which I rarely do. I just couldn’t seem to put it down. I had to find out how it ends and it definitly did not disappoint. The author just has a way of keeping the reader engaged and wanting more.
***I received this free ARC. This review is my honest opinion***
Other Characters: Nita, Tyrone, Victoria, Monica. Doug, Waren, Cora, Dr M, Detective Spangler, Mrs Webster, Will Parker
Pets: Inky the Cat
Stars: 5
This is my first book by this author and it’s a great one! I think it’s her first Cozy Mystery book and she got off to a great start. I’m really looking forward to reading more from her!
Laura Bishop is just starting out with her new business staging homes. She has her first client staging a 19th-century mansion to get it ready to sell. Even though the mansion hasn’t been updated in decades, she is determined to make it picture perfect. Her client will be tough but she is well known in the community. She is aware that the success or failure of her career may be determined by the manner in which this home is staged. She is both enthusiastic and apprehensive. Everything is going smoothly until her client has a run-in with her young assistant, Tyrone, over a broken vase, and then a dead body falls through the laundry chute at Laura’s feet. Tyrone was arrested after investigators determined he committed the heinous crime. Laura is positive Tyrone could not have killed anybody. When Tyrone’s grandmother insists that Laura prove his innocence, She finds herself playing amateur sleuth which could get her killed.
This book is a great beginning to the Laura Bishop Mystery series. It includes a likable protagonist, a quirky friend, a cozy small town, humor, a hot realtor, a victim with many enemies, a list of suspects with potential motives and an ending you won’t see coming. I can’t wait to start book two.
Other Characters: Lizzie, Detective Joe McAlister, Tammi, Adrian, Mariah, Dana, dolttie, Tara, Shawn and of course Helen’s cast of amateur sleuth’s who she calls her ‘Detective Club’
Pets: 2 cats named Trixie & Watson & a Golden Retriever named Rocky
Stars: 5
This is the second book in the Chesapeake Mystery series and I am really enjoying this series. I am a sucker for a great mystery, and this one checks all the boxes. It has suspense, drama, mystery, and 3-dimensional characters you will love.
Helen Morisey, our favorite real estate agent, finds herself in a predicament once again because of her sleuthing and her detective club cast of characters. This time her daughter is involved, which makes it personal.
In this installment we get to see more of Helen’s daughter, Lizzie. Lizzie is a popular home shopping network host. She has invited her mother to meet a world famous celebrity chef who will be appearing on her show. When Helen finds out this chef will be selling his multi-million dollar mansion, she sees an opportunity to obtain him as a client. Before Helen even has time to list his home, he drops dead minutes before ending the on-air presentation of his food segment, apparently from tasting his own cooking. Lizzie, who also tasted the food, falls ill. It becomes personal for Helen because her daughter was also involved and could have been killed. Much to the dismay of Detective Joe McAllister, Helen does her own sleuthing to find a killer.
The author has a way of developing 3 dimensional characters who you grow to love. Helen is a loving mom to 2 adult children and a savvy real estate agent, who has a love of Twizzlers and mystery novels. I especially love Her ‘detective club’ that involves a cast of her favorite literary sleuths, Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, Nora Charles, Agatha Raisin, and Nancy Drew. As she rushes to solve a mystery, she takes on the personalities of each of her literary characters which adds some humor. Detective Joe is always teasing her about her ‘detective club’ and you can visualize the budding romance between him and Helen. As much as the detective wants Helen to stay out of the investigation, he also knows that she has some valuable insight that he can use.
This book takes us on some twists and turns with several suspects as they try to determine the motive and who wanted the celebrity chef dead. There will be some surprises along the way and our Chef seems to be involved in more than just cooking.
“Motive plus opportunity plus chaos equals the perfect crime.”
Other characters: Sam,Bestfriend Tonya, Parents Butch & Maggie Cassidy, Detective Raul Sanchez, Kimberly, Ms Finney
Pets: Golden Retriever named Woody & a Tabby cat named Carl
Stars: Book 5 Audio 4
This is the second time I have reviewed this book. The reason I am reviewing it again is that I just listened to the audio version. I really prefer reading to listening but I really wanted to try the audiobook. The narrator did well, but I struggled to imagine the setting and characters in the audio version. Though the narrator attempted to give each character a distinctive voice, I still found the audio difficult to follow. Being more of a visual learner, I comprehend easier by reading. Listening to the audio version made me want to read it again, so that is what I did. After finishing the audio version, I picked up my kindle to reread my favorite cozy mystery. I loved it just as much as the first time. Having first read it over a year ago, there were some details I had forgotten, so it was a nice refresher.
Callie Cassidy, a photojournalist, returns to her parents’ Rocky Mountain ski resort in Rock Creek Village to recover from a work-related tragedy. Her mom convinces her to take a photo gig at the Snowflake Swirl winter ball where she stumbles upon a dead body who just happens to be her nemesis from high school. So Callie finds herself in the middle of the the investigation, much to the dismay of the head detective in the case and her father, who is a retired chief of police.
Callie is someone I would love to have as best friend. She is smart, loyal and loves her dog, cat & wine so what could be better! She especially loves boxed wine which makes her more down to earth. All the characters in the book just seem to come alive. The author has a way of making you think you are there so I could picture the settings and each character. You will love Ms. Finney as her personality comes alive throughout the series. She also has a secret which was fun to read. I wish Rock Creek was a real place because I want to visit and stay at the Rocky Mountain Ski Resort owned by Callie’s parents. And who doesn’t love a book with pets!!
I love that Callie is smart and doesn’t want to believe the obvious suspect just may not be the doer. She does her own investigation to find a killer. The suspect list is growing, as it takes on a lot of twists and turns until the surprise ending you won’t see coming.
If you are looking for a great suspenseful cozy mystery that you can’t put down with a fantastic protagonist and other quirky characters in a small town, You will love The Callie Cassidy Mystery series. Start with this book first and you will definitely want to read the rest of the series. When I read this book, it leaves me wanting more!!
If you like to listen to books on your way to work or while cleaning etc, then pick up the audio version. Personally, I prefer to read the book. Whichever option you choose, you will not be disappointed.
“Home is where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in,” — Robert Frost
Other Characters: Susan, Detective Joe McAlister, Tammi, Estelle, David, Matt, Phil, Aubrey & several characters from Helen’s mysteries she likes to read
Pets: 2 cats named Trixie & Watson & a Golden Retriever named Rocky
Stars: 5
This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be reading more. This is the type of book that left me wanting more.
Helen is a widow with 2 grown kids. She is a real estate agent in the small town of Port Anne, MD and has an obsession with Murder mysteries. Her favorite literary sleuths are Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, Nora Charles, Agatha Raisin, and Nancy Drew. While showing a house to a potential buyer, she discovers a dead body in the master bedroom. The evidence quickly points to her best friend, Susan, as the killer. Susan begs Helen to help her prove her innocence. The lead detective, Joe McAlister, believes that Helen’s knowledge of the Real Estate community could assist him with information in the case. With her best friend as the prime suspect, Helen enlists the help of her detective club, featuring Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, Nora Charles, Agatha Raisin, and Nancy Drew, to prove her innocence. The plot thickens when someone else is killed and Helen feels there is a connection between the 2 murders, but is there!
You can’t help but fall in love with Helen and her literary sleuths and you definitely can see some chemistry between her and Detective McAlister even though she says she isn’t ready for romance. If you love a fast-paced clean mystery with a lot of suspects and twists & turns with an ending you didn’t see coming, you will love this book. And there are cats and dogs, which is a bonus.
Is Helen’s friend Susan really guilty? Did the wife do it? Did a family member do it? Did a disgruntled employee do it? What is the connection between the two killings, if there is one? This book is fast-paced, with a lot of possible suspects and twists and turns that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Pets: Dogs Diesel & Ginger along with some other Rescues at the farm
Stars: 5
This is book six in Kay Bratt’s Hart’s Ridge series. I have loved this series from the very beginning. I just love the Gray sisters and their family dynamic. Even though they have their problems, they are always going to stand up for each other.
In this installment, the focus is more on Taylor & Lucy. We find out more about Lucy’s troubled past which she is trying to escape. Some things are happening that Lucy is blamed for, but Shane believes something else is going on, so he investigates. Is Lucy’s past about to catch up with her!!
The small town in rocked by the news of a local teen’s disappearance, who was later found dead. It is assumed he was drinking and wandered into the lake and drowned, but could there have been foul play!! Deputy Taylor Gray is determined to find out. Lucy’s dog, Ginger, also has a bit of a starring role.
As usual, the author takes us on a fast-paced roller coaster ride to solve these mysteries with an ending I didn’t see coming. And who doesn’t love a book with dogs!! I definitely recommend this series. Even though you can read these books as a standalone, it’s better to read them in order, as the series mentions many characters, and you get to know the Gray girls. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
The author usually takes her stories from real life. She explains in a note at the end of the book about the real life Jarrett and how he was the inspiration for this story in the book.
This is the first book I have read by this author and if this is an example of the rest of her books, I won’t be reading more. I think this is the lowest star I have ever given to a book, probably because if it is going to be a 1 star, i just don’t finish it. I think I finished this one because I just knew there would be a twist at the end but I was wrong.
Regan is a Real Estate agent and is due to meet with another agent, Kaivan. Regan’s clients are buying Kaivan’s uncle’s house and they are meeting to sign the papers. Kaivan’s Uncle, Cyrus Ansari, is late. They keep waiting and he never shows up. Kaivan doesn’t seem too worried because it isn’t unlike his uncle to take off for a few days without word so he is never reported as missing until he is found dead floating in the ocean. At first they think it was an accident but then it is ruled as murder. Regan decides to play amateur sleuth to find the killer when she stumbles upon another dead body. Now she is trying to find a connection between Uncle Cyrus and this dead woman.
I really wanted to like this book. The idea of a real estate agent as the amateur sleuth intrigued me and I thought it would be interesting. There was a bit too much real estate and not enough sleuthing going on. It felt like the author was just trying to make her word count by going on and on with descriptions of houses she had listed. It got to be a bit boring so I would skip pages. I really thought about not finishing the book but kept reading for a twist in the end. What a letdown when there wasn’t a twist, and the killer was predictable. There wasn’t enough character development. It seemed to spend more time on real estate and not enough time on the mystery. The ending just seemed to fall flat, and I felt like I wasted a few hours of my life reading it.
Other Characters: Detective Clark, Detective Lin, Richard Foster, Paul, Margie, Caroline, Matt, Lauren, Nicole, Becca, Daisy
Stars: 5
This is another great thriller by L.A. Larkin. The author has a way of twisting a story to keep you guessing till the end.
Sallie’s neighbor Caroline confides in her that she thinks her husband is trying to kill her. Sallie doesn’t want to get involved since she and her son were almost killed by the Poster Killer in book one.. When Caroline turns up dead, Sallie regrets not helping her friend so she tries to find evidence agains her husband, Matt to prove he killed his wife. Once again, Sallie’s snooping could get her killed.
When she starts receiving mysterious flowers and she feels she is being watched, she knows she must be getting close to finding out who killed Caroline. Could the Poster Killer, who is serving a life sentence know something! She may have to visit him in prison to find out. Then when one of Caroline’s friends is killed by a hit and run, the race is on to find a killer.
Ms Larkin keeps us guessing all the way to the end. It is fast paced with a lot of twists and turns to find a killer. I loved this book just as much as the first. The author knows how to keep the reader engaged and there is never a dull moment. If you love a thrilling mystery, with a surprise ending, you will love this series.
CozyRom Books & Coffee 