Tag: Cozy Mystery

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Killer Chardonnay by Kate Lansing

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  • Title: Killer Chardonnay
  • Author: Kate Lansing
  • Series: A Colorado Wine Mystery #1
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Boulder, CO
  • Main Character: Parker Valentine
  • Other Characters: Sage, Eli, Anita, Liam, Reid, Max, Moira, Cannick, Libby, Brennan, Jason, Gaskel
  • Pets: A can named Zin
  • Stars: 5

This is definitely a wine-centered series that I could easily immerse myself in while sipping a glass of wine. If this first book is anything to go by, it’s gonna be a really good series.

From the first moment I met Parker, I fell in love with her. She had one goal: to open her very own winery. Her dream was about to come true when she opened the doors to her very first wine tasting. Everything is going smoothly until a local food & wine critic shows up and doesn’t like Parker’s chardonnay. after tasting her wine, he stumbles back into the bathroom, clearly ill, and dies right there on the floor in the bathroom. Parker’s dream of running a winery might not happen. Did her wine kill the critic? As soon as she started scrolling through social media and started seeing “killer chardonnay” all the time, she knew her days as a winemaker were numbered. This is a cozy mystery so you already know that Parker has to do some investigating on her own to find how why someone wanted the critic dead. When someone else dies, Parker is determined to see if there is a connection between the 2 deaths.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book. This book has a fantastic protagonist that you’ll fall in love with from the get-go. I loved every single one of the characters. The supporting characters are great and well-developed as well. The main character has a best friend that she would do anything for, including being 100% honest, even if the truth sometimes hurts. The setting is stunning and I’d love to visit Parker’s Winery. She named cat’s name is ZIN (shorf for Zinfandel). Since White Zinfandel is my favorite wine, I love that her Cats name is ZIN. The

I seriously could not put this book down as the hunt for a killer will take you on a journey full of surprises until the end.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Photo of Murder by Penny Brooke

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  • Title: A Photo of Murder
  • Author: Penny Brooke
  • Series: A Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery #3
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Somerset Harbor, Massachussets
  • Main Character: Rue
  • Other Characters: Elizabeth, Andy, Marguerite, Heather, Beth, Joe, Max, Brenda, Elise
  • Pets: a Golden Retriever name Gatsby, a Cat named Oliver & a Cat named Beasley
  • Stars: 4

“I Slept in Room 282 at the Kingfisher Inn.
“And I Lived to Check Out.”

This is the 3rd book in the Seabreeze Bookshop series and it is another quick read and a good little cozy mystery.

It is the off season in Somerset Harbor and Rue is dividing her time between running her Gran’s bookshop & running a local event, Martinis in the Garden. While Rue is busy with her event, her friend Elizabeth is gathering old photos from the families in the area for an exhibit.

It is a busy time and everything is going great until it all comes to a crashing halt when Rue’s friend and owner of the local Inn, Marguerite, is found murdered in the haunted room #282. Between ghostly spirits, and a ghost hunter there is a lot of activity at the Inn which is interfering with the homicide investigation. Rue, being the amateur sleuth that she is, is convinced that the local police are going in the wrong direction to find the murderer so she does her own investigation. Could some old photos hold some clues as to who could have wanted Marguerite dead?

I enjoyed this mystery. There were several possible suspects & it takes the reader on some twists & turns with some surprises until the killer is revealed.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Letter of Murder by Penny Brooke

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  • Title: A Murder of Murder
  • Author: Penny Brooke
  • Series: A Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery #2
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Somerset Harbor, Massachusettes
  • Main Character: Rue
  • Other Characters: Andy, Elizabeth, Allie, Brian, Adriana, Rob, Roger, Regina
  • Pets: Golden Retriever named Gatsby and a Cat named Oliver
  • Stars: 5

“Sometimes in the past lie all the answers to the present.”

After the first book in this series, I almost didn’t read this one but I am so glad I did.

We visit with Rue again and her friend Elizabeth . Elizabeth is working on project and is asking if anyone has any old letters that she can use in her project. Allie, a friend of Rue’s, brings a letter written by her mother before she passed away. When Allie is found dead and it is discovered that she died the same way her mother did, Rue starts to believe that there must be a connection. Could the letter that Allie’s mother wrote hold some answers to this puzzle? When someone else in town dies in the same way, it throws some additional suspects to the mix. Will Rue, amateur sleuth, help her private detective friend find the killer before someone else is killed.

This book was a fast read that kept you guessing through the entire book. I love the twists it takes the reader on while trying to solve a murder. I am so glad I decided to continue with this series and I am looking forward to book 3.

“when you see a bluebird, that means things will be okay.”

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Page of Murder – Penny Brooke

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  • Title: A Page Of Murder
  • Author: Penny Brooke
  • Series: Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery #1
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Somerset Harbor, Massachusettes
  • Main Character: Rue Collier
  • Other Characters: Elizabeth, Andy, Jules, Anna, Renee, Rachel
  • Pets: a golden Retrieve named Gatsby & a bookshop cat name Oliver
  • Stars: 3

“There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away”
Emily Dickinson

In book one of the Seabreeze Bookshop series Rue has moved to Somerset Harbor to take care of her Gran’s bookshop while Gran is traveling in Paris.

Rue is getting settled into her new role as manager of the bookshop, when an old friend comes in. Her friend Anna (who owns the bakery next door) buys a few books but seems uneasy and nervous about something. As Rue is closing up shop and Leaving she sees cop cars parked next door. To her shock, Anna is found murdered shortly after leaving the store. She was stabbed to death.

Could Rue be withholding some evidence as to who may have killed Anna? Could a killing from the past have anything to do with this murder? Could a special recipe be a motive for murder? 

I wish there had been a little bit more of character development. I just didn’t get that cozy feeling that I usually get from a book that makes me want to live in that small town. There are a few suspects for this murder, but I did feel like the killer was obvious from the start. I was hoping I was wrong since it was so obvious. There was an additional twist at the end but it still wasn’t a huge surprise. I liked this book, but I do wish there had been a few more surprises with twists & turns.

“you have to read the whole book to understand the plot.”

Happy Reading

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Secrets in the Bookshop by Penny Brooke

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  • Title: Secrets in the Bookshop
  • Author: Penny Brooke
  • Series: Prequel Seabreeze Bookshop #0
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery short story
  • Takes Place:  Somerset Harbor, Massachusettes
  • Main Character: Rue
  • Other Characters: Rue’s Gran Linda. Elizabeth
  • Pets: a Cockerspaniel named Elsie (Nell)
  • Stars: 5

“Long Live the written word”

This is a short story prequel to the Seabreeze Bookshop Series. I received this book free by subscribing to the author’s newsletter. I am givig this review voluntarily and it has nothing to do with receiving it for free. I was not asked to do a review. The only way you can get this book is by subscring to her newsletter. You can also get this book for free (at this time) by clicking on the book photo and going to the “subscribe to Penny Brooke’s newsletter” page.

Rue has come to visit her Gran in Somerset Harbor Massachusettes. Her Gran owns the local bookstore and Rue has a lot of fond memories of visiting her Gran over the years.

There are several little mysteries in this short story. Where did the Cocker Spaniel come from who keeps hanging around the bookstore? What secret is Gran keeping from her granddaughter? What is the importance to Gran’s necklace?

This is a sweet story of the bond between a granddaughter and her Gran. It is a great book to prepare the reader for the journey of this series. I already love the characters and how the granddaughter wants to help her grandmother. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to learn more about these characters.

“To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs”

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Christmas to Die For by M.P. Black

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  • Title: A Christmas to Die For
  • Author: M.P. Black
  • Series: A Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery #4
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Blithedale
  • Main Character: Alice
  • Other Characters: Ona, Becca, Clyde, Ben, Todd, Andrea, Police Chief Jimbo, Mohammad, Mariella, Abigail, Mr Vickers, Wade, Lenny, Loraine, Bunve, Lewis
  • Stars: 4

In case you haven’t had enough of the Christmas Spirit, check out book 4 of the Woodlands books series for even more Christmas magic! Of course, there’s also a murder that threatens to spoil Blithedale’s Christmas cheer.

It is the Christmas season in Blithedale & Alice and the other residents are preparing for the Christmas Fair and a Santa Contest. While famous author, Clyde Digby, is at Wonderland Books doing a book reading from his latest book, the children at the book store are waiting for Santa to arrive for a Christmas reading. When Santa is late, and the kids are getting restless, Alice heads over to the Christmas fair to find him and she does find him…dead! Who could have killed Santa!!! With the police chief being incompetent and is always finding a reason not to work, Alice finds herself putting on her sleuthing hat once again to solve a murder. There are plenty of suspects. Come to find out no one really liked him, not even his wife.

There are plenty of mysteries in this story. What is the ex owner of the Blithedalel bookstore doing back in town? He is supposed to be retired in FL and here he is in a Santa costume. Who is the secret Santa that is gifting books to residents around town? Oh what a tangled web we weave!! Alice might have met her challenge with these mysteries to solve.

Join Alice and her friends on yet another roller coaster ride to solve a murder and the other mysteries. This is a good book and once again, the author twists the tale in such a way that when the reader thinks they have the mystery solved, it takes yet another turn that makes you question it.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Halloween to Die For by M.P. Black

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  • Title: A Halloween to Die For
  • Author: M.P. Black
  • Series: A Wonderland Book Cozy Mystery #3
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Blithedale
  • Main Character: Alice, Ona, Becca
  • Other Characters: Dr Fantasma, Gretchen, Stewart Conway, Susan, Edie, Fleur, Dylan, Duane Rooker, Holly, Mr & Mrs Oriel
  • Stars: 5

This is the 3rd book in the Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery series and these books never disappoint.

It is Halloween in Blithesdale and the ghosts and goblins are coming out in full force and of course there is is l going to be a haunted house. Alice is not thrilled about the haunted house but she is told that it is an old school haunted house and won’t the slasher theme that most haunted houses have nowadays. Even though Alice will be glad when Halloween is over, she goes along with it. Every thing seems to be going good until someone ends up dead and her best friend is standing over the body with a knife. To top things off, the only witness says she knows Becca didn’t do it because she saw the killer and it was a ghost. The witness said the ghost actually floated and was transparent. Well you can guess how reliable that witness was so Alice’s best friend is arrested. Even the police chief believes she didn’t do it but there is no evidence saying otherwise. So Alice and Ona are determined to prove her innocence. This is going to be hard to do. When Alice starts seeing ghosts at Ona’s Inn where she is staying, she is beginning to wonder about the ghost theory, The plot thickens when one of their main suspects also ends up dead. Now who could the killer be and what is the motive!

This book takes the reader on a bit of a roller coaster ride through the ghosts and goblins. What I am really enjoying about these books is that even when the reader believes they have it all figured out there is always a twist at the end. This author knows how to weave a good mystery that leaves the Reader guessing until the very end.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Theater to Die For by M.P. Black

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  • Title: A Theater to Die For
  • Author: M.P. Black
  • Series: A Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery #2
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Blithedale
  • Main Character: Alice Hartford
  • Other Characters: Ona, Becca, Mr Gorny, Billie Brine, Loraine, Lenny, Mr & Mrs Oriel, Chief Jimbo,
  • Stars: 5

‘You’re a wicked witch, Dorothy. I hope you melt.’”

This is the second book in the Wonderland books series. I am really enjoying this series.

In this episode, Alice has settled in to her new bookstore, Wonderland books, and it is a success. She is so grateful to her friends who helped her make this happen. Now she is excited about her plans for the struggling theater in town. She is a bit nervous to tell her friends about her plans but as they are discussing it, the owner of the theater is late for their meeting. They head over to the theater and her plans take a back seat when they find a dead body center stage with a Wizard of Oz clue. The suspects are numerous but who could have done the killing!

This a great cozy with a surprise ending. This is a story of friendship, community and friends coming together in a crises with a murder thrown in. I did figure out who did it before the ending but there were still some surprises that I didn’t suspect.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.”

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

A Bookshop to Die For by M.P. Black

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  • Title: A Bookshop to Die For
  • Author: M.P. Black
  • Series: A Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery #1
  • Genre: Cozy Myster
  • Takes Place: Blithedale
  • Main Character: Alice Hartford
  • Other Characters: Ona, Becca, Vince, Bunce, Kristin, Kris, Rich, Mr & Mrs Oriel, Chief Jimbo, Darrell, Mayor MacDonalld
  • Stars: 5

“If you want to know who committed a crime, take a look at who benefits the most.”

This is the first time I have read anything by this author but it won’t be my last. This cozy mystery was a fast and easy read. The reader can’t help but fall in love with Alice.

We first meet Alice as she arrives in town wearing a dirty wedding dress. She is a runaway bride who shows up in her hometown that she hasn’t been back to since she was a child. She first visits the bookstore her mom used to own just to find that it is falling apart and a developer is trying to buy it to destroy it. When the contractor at the bookstore falls to his death, the authorities brush it off as an accident but Alice thinks it is murder and she is deterimined to prove it. Her Sleuthing takes her through several possible suspects and motives until the surprise ending.

This has the small town community feel that I love. Even though Alice hasn’t been to town since she was a child, some members of the community embraced her as one of their own. Then it has the drama of why did Alice show up in town wearing a wedding dress and a murder that she feels compelled to solve so she can save the bookstore from being demolished. I really thought I had this one figured out but i was wrong. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming.

I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

“The most important things in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will’

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Movie Stars & Mayhem by Avery Kent

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  • Title: Movie Stars & Mayhem
  • Author: Avery Kent
  • Series: Bishop’s Landing Cozy Mystery #4
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Bishop’s Landing
  • Main Character: Annie, Jake
  • Other Characters: Casey, Maggie, Christopher, Alistair, Bradley, Arthur, Mickala, Jamieson, Mandy, Dexter, Janet, Carl, Allison, Izzy, Clyde, Tanya
  • Pets: A Golden Retriever named Cookie
  • Stars: 4

This is the 4th book in the Bishop’s Landing Cozy Mystery.

Once again, Annie and Jake are caught up in a vicious crime spree. The residents of Bishop’s Landing are thrilled that a Blockbuster movie is being shot in their quaint little town. Annie is hired as the caterer for the cast & crew. The issue is that there is a lot of tension on the set, especially between the male lead and the female lead. With a Phantom haunting the theater, a robbery, a dead body and an actress who is missing, things really start to spiral out of control. Is it the same person or is there more than one person involved?

This is a one-of-a-kind story that will keep you guessing until the end. It started out slow, but then it really took off and I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Disclaimer: I received this book free as part of an ARC. This review is my opinion only and was freely given.

Happy Reading,