Tag: Cozy Mystery

Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Romance

Starting Over by Kay Bratt

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  • Starting Over
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge #8
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery, Romance
  • Takes Place: Hart’s Ridge GA
  • Main Character: Taylor
  • Other Characters: Sam, Cate, Sutton, Alice, Shane, Caleb, Corbin
  • Pets: Diesel along with several rescue animals
  • Stars: 5

This is another great read by Kay Bratt and the 8th book in her Hart’s Ridge Series.

We return to visit the Gray’s once more in this story about family dynamics, romance, secrets, helping where needed, balancing a busy life with family and of course, Mysteries.

A kidnapping rocks the town of Hart’s Ridge when Lydia, the wife of a local sheriff deputy, goes missing from the local Walmart. Deputy Taylor Gray along with the local Sheriffs Department and the FBI are on the case to find this missing woman. This takes Taylor away from her fiance, Sam, as he is dealing with some family struggles of his own.

Cate is struggling with her romantic life and recovering from a gunshot wound she received at the end of book #7. We meet a new character, Sutton, who has been accused of embezzlement. She moves in with Cate to help with her recovery and has secrets of her own.

Most of the book revolves around the search for Lydia and Sutton’s secret. Two great mysteries that will keep you guessing throughout the book.

I love this series. It pulls the reader in and it is a ‘can’t put down’ read. The characters are all 3-dimensional with distinct personalities. I love their strength and no matter their struggles, they always have each others backs. I recommend reading the books in order so you can get to know the Gray family fall in love with them as I have.

Be sure to read the Author’s note at the end of the book. The kidnapping in the book was based on a real life kidnapping. Parts of it were altered a bit but her inspiration came from an actual event.

Although I enjoyed this book immensely, I did have one issue with the ending. I felt like there was no closure. I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t say more. This was supposed to be the last book in the Hart’s Ridge series but due to popular demand, there will be a 9th book. I am so glad we get to visit with the Gray’s one more time. I am looking forward to book 9.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Christmas in the Candlelight by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: Christmas in the Candlelight
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: The Inn at Holiday Bay
  • Genre:Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Holiday Bay, Maine
  • Main Character: Abby, Georgia
  • Other Characters: Jeremy, Mylie, Colt. Reno, Brody
  • Pets: Ramos the cat, Dog named Molly, Dog name Ramos
  • Stars: 5

This is the  twenty-fifth book in The Inn at Holiday Bay series. I really enjoy this series and have enjoyed all of the books by Kathi Daley. Even though there is a murder, this series makes you want to move to Holiday Bay, well apart from the cold and snow, that is. But I love the community, friendship and how everyone is always there for each other. Abby is the owner of the Inn and she treats her employees very well. They are more family and friends than employees

In this installment, Holiday Bay is preparing for the Christmas activities at the in while Georgia’s past is coming back to haunt her. Georgia’s cooking show is filming at the Inn which seems to be bringing on a lot of stress. Georgia’s new producer is bringing in Chef Brody Litman who Georgia has an unpleasant past. Brody is to take the lead while Georgia takes a supporting role which doesn’t make her happy. When Brody’s body is found in a sleazy motel on the outskirts of town and Georgia is seen on camera leaving his room earlier in the evening, she becomes the prime suspect in the case. Because of a conflict of interest for Colt, a detective is brought in to investigate. No one else is seen on camera leaving the victims hotel room so will Georgia be able to prove she didn’t kill him? 

If you haven’t read this series, I recommend it. It is best to start at the beginning and read the books in order so you can get to know the cast of characters. The reader starts to think of all the characters as family and can’t wait to see what they are up to next

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Murder in the 1920s by Penny Brooke

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  • Title: Murder in the 1920s
  • Author: Penny Brooke
  • Series: Green Oaks Bookbinding Cozy Mystery
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Green Oaks, Massachuttes
  • Main Character: Charlotte
  • Other Characters: Isla, Natalie, Brandonr, Kenan, Annette
  • Pets: Charlotte’s 2 cats Roma & Archimedes
  • Stars: 5

This is the first book in the Green Oaks Bookbinding Cozy Mystery Series. I love a good cold case and this book brought all the mystery that I love.

Charlotte inherits her grandmothers estate in the small town of Green Oaks, Massachusetts, a historic estate built in 1902 and purchased by Charlotte’s grandfather in the 1970s. Charlotte used to visit her grandparents there when she was a child. While exploring her grandmothers overgrown garden, she falls in a well. Imagine her shock when she stumbles upon a human skull. The medical examiner (who happens to be Charlotte’s best friend) determined that the skull belonged to a young woman who went missing in the 1920s. The authorities aren’t particularly interested in a century-old cold case since anyone involved would be dead but Charlotte’s curiosity has piqued so she decides to do her own investigating.

Will Charlotte’s sleuthing put her in danger? How is this mystery connected to the present day? All of this and more will be discovered as you read this cozy mystery that checks all the boxes. It is intriguing with lots of suspects and a surprise ending. It kept me engaged throughout the book and It left me wanting more.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Murder and Matrimony by Avery Kent

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  • Title: Murder & Matrinoy
  • Author: Avery Kent
  • Series: A Bishop’s Landing Cozy Mystery
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Bishop’s Landing
  • Main Character: Annie, Jake
  • Other Characters: Amanda, Janet, Devon, Warren, Maggie, Lieutenant Sherman
  • Stars: 5

This is the third book in Bishop’s Landing’s Cozy Mystery series, and I have to say that the books just keep getting better and better as I read them. I’ve fallen in love with the characters throughout this series.

Annie, a baker and the owner of Boardwalk Bakery in Bishop’s Landing, has landed the baking job of a lifetime. She has been commissioned to bake a wedding cake for the daughter of a wealthy resort owner in nearby Grenville. The wedding will take place at her daddy’s resort. This job could really put Boardwalk bakery on the map so Annie is doing her best to make it perfect. She has rented a van to deliver the cake and her assistant Maggie has agreed to drive her. When Maggie has an accident, it leaves no one to help Annie so Sheriff Jake volunteers for the job.

When they get to the resort, there is a sudden snowstorm so Annie, Jake and any guests that have arrived are snowed in. Anyone who hasn’t already arrived, will not be able to get there. Amanda, the bride, decides to go ahead with the wedding so she can marry the love of her life. The ceremony went on without a hitch but the reception is another issue. While eating the wedding cake, the groom drops dead of an apparentnut allergy. So now all eyes are on Annie as she is the primary suspect. Annie didn’t have a motive but could the cake have been cross contaminated with nuts?

Annie and Jake hustle to prove that Annie didn’t accidentally poison the groom. But if not Annie then who. Turns out there are a lot of people who would want the groom dead.

This book takes the reader on a roller coaster ride with a lot of twists and turns to find a killer. It was really good and kept me engaged and guessing until the last word.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Pies, Paws & Peril by Avery Kent

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  • Title: Pies, Paws & Peril
  • Author: Avery Kent
  • Series: A Bishop’s Landing Cozy Mystery
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Bishop’s Landing
  • Main Character: Annie, Jake
  • Other Characters: Casey, Maggie, Ursula, Maple, Walter, Carla
  • Pets: Golden Retriever named Cookie
  • Stars: 4

is the second book in the series Bishop’s Landing by Avery Kent. I am glad I gave this series another try because this book was much better than the first. It had better character development and we got to know the Protagonist a little better.

In this episode, Annie is entering the pie contest at the annual Fall festival. When a celebrity chef shows up to judge the contest and ends up dead, the town is in a frenzy until the killer is found. Of course Annie has to be in the middle of it to help solve the case. It seems the celebrity judge, isn’t the nice person she appears to be on TV so the suspects endless since no one really likes her.

This book takes you on a lot of twists and turns to solve this mystery of who killed the celebrity judge. With a lot of possible suspects including her family, staff and even her publisher it takes you on a bit of a roller coaster ride with a suprise ending you won’t see coming.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Cookies & Crime by Avery Kent

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  • Title: Cookies & Crime
  • Author: Avery Kent
  • Series: Bishop’s Landing Cozy Mystery book 1
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Biships Landing
  • Main Characters: Annie, Casey, Maggie
  • Other Characters: Mildred, Hank, Martha, Mayor McCray, Catherine
  • Pets: Golden Retriever named Cookie
  • Stars: 3

This is my first book by the author. This book was given to me as a free giveaway at the time of reading. My opinion is my own and is not influenced by the giveaway.

Newly divorced Annie moves back to her home town of Bishop’s Landing to help her Aunt Mildred and take over her aunt’s bakery. The bakery needs extensive renovations before she can open her doors again so the town handyman begins the renovations. Imagine Annie’s shock when she arrives at the bakery to find the mayor dead at the base of the stairs. This is definitely a murder. The mayor wasn’t popular, so no one cares. Even the sheriff isn’t that interested in solving this crime. Annie and her amateur detectives Cassie and Maggie take on the task of figuring out who killed the mayor.

This book is the first in a series called Bishop’s Landing Cozy Mystery. This book was okay and kept me interested for a while, but it lacked depth and character development. The characters are 2 dimensional and not very interesting. Even Annie (the protagonist)) was not someone I could connect with. Most books I read, especially small town books, make me feel like the main characters are best friends and I want to be a part of that small town community. I didn’t feel that way in this book. I don’t really know where the book took place except Bishops Landing, and I never said where, so I’m not sure if it even took place in the United States. I thought it was the UK because the apartment above the bakery was referred to as a flat, but that’s just a guess. The town wasn’t really described and It lacked the sense of community connection I have come to love in the books I read.

This book reads more like a short story than a full-length book. I figured out who the murderer was early on in the book, so there weren’t any twists and turns to solve the mystery. I didn’t find out the motive until the end, but I had a gut feeling that this person did it and I was right.

I am going to give the second book in the series a try because I think this might have been this authors first book. When I look it up on Fantastic Fiction and Goodreads, It is only showing this series with this being the first of a three book series at the time of this review. I will see if my opinion changes after the second book and if I decide to read more. I feel like every author has to start somewhere and deserves a chance.

If you read this book, let me know what you think.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Hello Goodbye by Kay Bratt

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  • Title: Hello Goodbye
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge #7
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Hart’s Ridge
  • Main Character: Taylor, Sam, Shane
  • Other Characters: Larson, Marc, Abby, Jo, Lucy, Anna, Alice, Judith, Cecil, Jackson, Fair, Blanche, Abby, Larson
  • Pets: Diesel
  • Stars: 5

This is book 7 of the Hart’s Ridge series and I loved it, just the others. This is a great series.

The protagonist of the story is Deputy Taylor Gray. Taylor and her sisters went through foster care most of their lives. Taylor basically raised her sisters after her mother supposedly burned to death in a fire with her baby brother.In this installment there is a double homicide. The Swansons who have 3 adopted kids kids, are discovered brutally murdered. We first met this family when we Taylor called to Their home after Marc’s parents refused to let him in due to missed curfew. While Marc is the prime suspect in the homicide, he is currently in a behavior health facility. Is it possible that he may have broken out and gone and killed his parents? There are several suspects but who could have done this heinous crime? Taylor and Shane are on the case to find out who could have brutally murdered this couple and left their kids without parents.

As Taylor is dealing with a double homicide her relationship with fiance Sam could be rocky due to them finding out he may have a 12 year old daughter that he didn’t know about (we found that out at the end of the last book).

Sam is also trying help Taylor close a case that is very personal to her. She has a lead but will she finally be able to put an end to this case so she can move on with the rest of her life . And as if this isn’t enough, there is another tragedy to the story that you won’t see coming.

There are several stories going on so Taylor has her hands full. This is definitely a page turner that you will have trouble putting it down. Be ready to curl up and engross yourself in this well written mystery with twists and turns until the surprise ending.

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

The Christmas Visitor by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Christmas Visitor
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #15
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Aspen, Cleo, Cole, Frank, Sam, Estella
  • Pets: a golden retriever named Tilly and a cat named Tangletoe (Tang for short) and a cat named Tinder and Tony’s German Sheppard Titan, Mike’s dog Leonard and the newest member of the family Kody. plus lots of other shelter dogs that come and go.
  • Stars: 4

This is the fifteenth book in the Tess & Tilly series. Even though I enjoy these characters and have really enjoyed this series, 15 is enough. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did the previous ones. It just didn’t seem to have the depth and intrigue the previous books did.

In this episode, White Eagle is getting ready for the holiday season. As we follow the residents, Tess and her loyal sidekick Tilly are back delivering mail on their old route after the current mail carrier goes on medical leave.Tess and Tony are also helping out with the Christmas festival, which could be full-time job. Bree is dealing with some personal issues which have her feeling down, while Mike is juggling being there for his wife and solving crimes in their little town. Tony and Tess have a security break-in at their home, and they have an unexpected guest who needs their assistance. Tony has a brilliant idea on how to catch a criminal

Community, friendship, family, and helping others are at the heart of this story, as well as solving a mystery. The characters are likable and well-developed. My favorite character is Tess, and I love the animals, especially the dogs. I gave this a 4 stars because it really isn’t up to par with the previous books in the series.

Happy Reading,

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Death by Dish – Claire Harlow

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  • Title: Death by Dish
  • Author: Claire Harlow
  • Series: A Sparrow Haven Cozy Mystery #3
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: Sparrow Haven
  • Main Character: Olivia Harper, Milly
  • Other Characters: Millie, Ethan, Detective Fred O’Malley, Victoria Thorne, Milly’s Mother Mary & Dad Charles, Nancy, Antonio, Edith, Mr Thorne, Ben Fields & his wife Marsha, Cathy Simmons, Monica, Seth Silverton
  • Pets: Olivia’s Golden Retriever Barkley
  • Stars: 3

This is the 3rd installment in the Sparrow Haven Cozy Mystery series. I have enjoyed all of this author’s books so far. The only reason I am giving this one a 3 is because it talks about a snake. Any book that mentions the ‘s’ word gets no more than a 3 rating because that is something I just can’t read about. In fact, normally it would keep me from finishing a book . I have a huge fear and it will give me nightmares. It was even hard for me to type the word. I skipped several pages of the book because this was talked about. Then for the rest of the book, I would scan each page to make sure there was no mention before reading it. It took away a bit of my enjoyment but since I really like this author, I wanted to finish the book so I plowed on through.

This book is not as good as the other books I have read by this author. This could be due to the fact that I had to skip a few pages. I enjoyed most of the book, except for the passages mentioned above. This took away some of my enjoyment. I’m glad I finished this book because the ending is good but not a big surprise. I’ll definitely read more from this author.

I received this book free from Booksiren as part of the ARC team. The review is my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Murder on the links – Penny Brooke

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  • Title: Murder on the Links
  • Author: Penny Brooke
  • Series: A Word Travels Mobile Bookshop Cozy Mystery #3
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Greenwood, Vermont
  • BookMain Character: Claudia, Aunt Daisy Mae
  • Other Characters: Detectiv Sterling, Mayor Tom Linden, Tammy, Noah, Jason, Aaron, Jenny, Everette, Scarlett
  • Pets: a cat named Jasper
  • Stars: 5

The author has a remarkable ability to craft a narrative that will captivate the reader until the unexpected conclusion. This is the third installment of the Word Travels Mobile Bookshop Cozy Mystery Series, and ito may be my favorite so far.

Claudia is once again thrust into the midst of a homicide investigation when Jason, the Mayoral Candidate, is tragically killed at his own fundraising event. To further complicate matters, Claudia is observed having an altercation with him shortly prior to his death, thus making her the prime suspect in the investigation. If you read the first book in the series, “Murder in the Library”, then you know that Jason is the ex Stalker boyfriend of Layla’s and a suspect in her murder. In this book, Jason is running for mayor in a race against Tom Linden, the incumbent mayor.

Jason’s reputation for ruthlessness and being a womanizer is well-known, and no one likes him, so there are numerous suspects who could have wanted him dead. This book takes the reader on a bit of roller coaster ride through the whole book. I found myself devouring the entire book in a single sitting, unable to put it down, simply because I had to discover the identity of the perpetrator. I suspected who the murderer was, but there were still surprises and twists along the way. The only thing I would have expected was that Claudia would have learned her lesson from the first two homicides in which she was involved, not to confront the suspect due to the potential danger.

When I am reading a book, I tend to find it easier to relax and enjoy the content without the need for a playbill. This series is an ideal fit for this type of reader, as it is full of complex and engaging characters that make the book enjoyable without the need for playbills to keep track of who is who. Additionally, the suspense of the book keeps the reader interested and entertained.

I highly recommend this series and each book just keeps getting better. They are full of suspense, intrigue, a bit of romance and a cat who is always into something. Jasper the cat is one of the main characters in the book. Claudia takes him everywhere and he can be a bit mischievous and fun. He tends to add a bit of humor to the books. I do recommend you read the first two books in the series before this one since several of the minor characters in the other books are in this one along with the protagonist, her eccentric aunt and sometimes naughty cat.

I highly recommended this series and each book keeps getting better. They are full of suspense, intrigue, a bit of romance, and a cat that is always into something. Jasper the cat can be a bit mischievous and humorous. I recommend that readers should read the preceding two books of the series prior to this one, as several minor characters from the preceding books are included in this one, as well as the protagonist, her eccentric aunt, and the occasionally naughty cat.

Happy Reading!