Tag: Tess & Tillly

Cozy Mystery

The Firework Frenzy by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Firework Frenzy
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #17
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Location: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess
  • Other Characters: Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Pets: Tess & Tony’s Dogs Tilly 2 cats named Tang & Tilly
  • Stars: 5

The Firework Frenzy is the seventeenth book in the Tess & Tilly series. I have loved Tess and Tilly since the very first book. It is hard to not get invested in their characters and see where their life may lead them

The yearly fireworks in White Eagle are almost ready to begin as the Fourth of July draws near. When Tess finds out that the fireworks show will now take place at the little lake close to the wildlife rescue, she becomes upset. She worries about what might happen to the local wildlife as a result. Wilton Arlington, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, is unyielding in her attempts to reason with him. Unfortunately, she was witnessed threatening Mr. Arlington if he didn’t move the fireworks back where they have always been. When Mr. Arlington is killed by a fire at his home caused by fireworks being detonated, Tess becomes the prime suspect. Tess is attempting to establish she is innocent of this crime, assisted by her brother Mike and husband Tony.

Even though they are working on clearing Tess’s name and proving she couldn’t have committed this crime, most of the book is them talking about the 4th of July cookout they are going to have at Tess & Tony’s home on the lake. Tess tries to convince her mother out of inviting Uncle Garrett because, as readers of the rest of the story will know, Uncle Garrett is actually Tess and Mike’s father who is presumed dead.

I love Tess & Tilly and all the characters I have come to know in this series. I enjoy the mystery surrounding Tess & Mike’s dad and we find out more about that in this book. The characters are well thought out and 3 dimensional. The mystery wasn’t hard to figure out, but I still enjoyed the book. You can read the books out of order but I highly recommend reading them in order so you can get to know these characters and fall in love with them as I have.

Happy Reading

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

The Sluething Game by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Sluething Game
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #16
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Lake Tahoe
  • Main Character: Tess
  • Other Characters: Tony, Zoe, Zack, Shaggy, Carmen
  • Pets: A golden Retriever named Tilly
  • Stars: 2

This is the sixteenth installment of The Tess & Tilly Cozy Mystery and it should be the last. Sometimes a seris goes on for too long and I think this is one of them. As much as I have enjoyed the escapes of Tess & Tilly this one just didn’t measure up.

Tess and her husband Tony, her dog Tilly & Tony’s friend Shaggy head to Lake Tahoo for a video game convention. They are promoting their newest game. There is a lot of talk at the conference about a new game created by Loki and Craven that is supposed to be the best of the best. But when it comes time to preview this game, Loki & Craven are nowhere to be found. The next day when Tess and just her new friend Zoe are snow skiing they encounter a dead body, who just to be Loki. It looks like he died from a fatal accident while skiing. But when his friend Craven was found in his room by an apparent suicide, they are begging to wonder if Loki’s death was really an accident and did Craven really commit suicide. Tess & Loki, with the help from Tony are putting their sleuthing skills to work.

The plot twist I like in books wasn’t present in this one. There were no surprises at the conclusion or unexpected turns. Any good mystery should have a surprise ending and a a lot of twists, and this one fell short of my expectations. And then there is Tess’s father who keeps showing up, and it’s absurd that they were able to pass him off to her mother as her dad’s brother. There’s just not the suspense I keep expecting to build with her dad. I was somewhat disappointed in this book because I had liked the other ones in the series.

Happy Reading!

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

The Castle Capers – Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Castle Capers
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #14
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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: 3

This is the 14th book in the Tess & Tilly series. I just didn’t like this one as well as I did the others so I gave it 3 stars. I found some of the dialogue repetitious and too much focus about talking about nonsense that just didn’t seem important. So many new characters were introduced that they were hard to keep up with. I will say that the author at least listed the new characters at the front of the book, with a description of who they were, which made it easier to keep up with who was who. Then you kept hearing about ghosts being there but they seem to never appear. I wish she had gone into a little more description about the Scottish scenery. There was too much going back and forth over the suspect list that it got old. The end of the book, left me feeling unsatisfied. I was glad I finished it and could move on to my next book. I hated so say this about a Tess and Tilly book because I love this series and have loved all the other books.

This 14th book finds Tess & Tony heading to Scotland. The new owner for Faulkner Castle, Richie, hired Tony to work on his state of art security system to see why it keeps malfunctioning. Tony’s friend and business partner Shaggy and his girlfriend Shanti along with Tilly are tagging along. Tony & Shaggy plan on attending a video game convention while they are there.

Things are going well and they are enjoying themselves until Tess sees her dad in a local pub . She was going to speak to him, till he shook his to let her know to pretend she doesn’t know him. Tony did get a message from Tess’ dad that they would find something interesting in the south wing of the castle. What they found was a dead body and the plot thickens when they find a second dead body. Does Tess’ dad have anything to do with these dead bodies? The rest of the book just starts going through the list of suspects to narrow it down to who killed these these people and what were they doing in the south wing.

Overall I have loved this series but this book just didn’t measure up. If you read it, let me know what you think in the comments.

Happy Reading!!

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

The Murder Chronicles by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Murder Chronicles
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #13
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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: 5

Another great book by Kathi Daley. This Author just keeps the reader wanting more.

Tess receives a letter from a man named Simon with details about murders that happened over 60 years ago. Apparently Simon, was a member of a secret society who was trying to solve fifteen cold case murders. They were able to solve all the cases except for one. Now he is the only surviving member of this societyand has only months to live. He really wants this last case solved before he dies. This society put details of all of these murders in a journal they named The Murder Chronicles. Included with the letter to Tess, was also this journal, Simon had heard about Tess and her success at solving mysteries so he was enlisting her help to solve this last cold case.

It is a case of a woman who went missing in 1958. She supposedly got a call from her child’s school that her son had been in a fight and she needed to come and pick him up. She didn’t drive so she called her husband and told him she was going to walk to go get him. Something isn’t setting right since the school is about 5 miles away and it was raining and windy. After her husband talked to her, she was never heard from again.

Tess & Tony, with the help of Mike, decide to try and solve this Mystery even though they know, everyone involved is probably dead at this point. It won’t be an easy task but if anyone can solve it, it will be these three.

In addition to this cold case, Tess & Tony are also planning the Spring fling. Over at the animal clinic they had an employee who is quitting so Brady & Tess hire a new employee. There is a man in town who used to know Tess’ dad and he is asking questions. Tess gets a visit from her dad. There is a lot going on in Tess’ world.

If you love mysteries and you love a good cold case, like I do, then you are going to love this book in the Tess & Tilly mystery series. The author takes us on twists and turns to a final climax we didn’t see coming.

Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Holiday

The Ghostly Groundskeeper by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Ghostly Groundskeeper
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #12
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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: 5

The Halloween festival is coming up in White Eagle so naturally there is a spooky old house where a serial killer once lived.

There is a TV show called Ghost Therapist who are coming to White Eagle to do a ghost hunting tour of the mansion that was once owned by a doctor. On his deathbed, the doctor confessed to killing nine men in this mansion while he was doing medical experiments on them in the 70s and 80s. He told his groundskeeper to bury them on the grounds of the estate. These bodies have never been found and the groundskeeper is supposedly dead. Legend says that if you are in the tower of the house, you can see the groundskeeper at night with his flashlight, checking on the graves of these buried men.

People are going to bid to see who is going to stay in the mansion with the Ghost Therapist. The twelve highest bids will be chosen. Tess, Tony, Mike and two residents will also be staying there. During their stay in the mansion, they discover that someone has been living there in a secret room.

While Tess & Tony are at the mansion with the electrician to check things out before the big night, they find a dead body who has been there just a few days. The main suspect is Sam, who just moved next door to Tess’ mom.

What does Sam know about the deceased?
Who is living at the estate and why?
Where are the bodies of the men, the doctor confessed to killing?

Join Tess, Tony & Mike while they solve another murder.

This is another compelling story by Kathy Daley. The author keeps the reader engaged and guessing as the plot unfolds.

If you like small town romance with a side of murder and pets, you will love this series.


Cozy Mystery, Fiction

The Baby Plan – Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Baby Plan
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #11
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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 and the newest member of the family Kody. plus lots of other shelter dogs that come and go.
  • Stars: 5

This is another great book by Kathi Daley

As we visit the town of White Eagle, Montana, someone is having a baby. Not only that but another baby lands in Mike’s arms. Tess & Tony have a big decision to make. And of course, there is another murder.

Lots of things happening in White Eagle, Montana. Mike shows up at Tess & Tony’s house with a baby in his arms. Where did this baby come from? Tess & Tony agree to take the baby until she can be reunited with her mother. This all involves their dad once again.

Then there is a local resident found dead in the lake. Theo (Tess’ mom’s friend) goes missing so he becomes the prime suspect. There is a mystery surrounding Theo that leads back to Tess’ dad.

A lot is going on in this book and we find out a little more about Tess & Mike’s dad and what connection he has to the dead body, the baby & Theo.

This was another great book in this series. The author takes us on a roller coaster ride on this journey. It is a fun ride with losts of mysteries. I love the way she teases the reader in each book concerning Tess’s dad. He keeps changing his name so we still don’t really know his real name but Tess & Mike know him as their dad, Grant Thomas. He keeps popping in and out of their life 1 or 2 minutes at a time. We learn a little more about him in the book.

I recommend this series and each book keeps the readers interested and wanting more.

Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Holiday

The Christmas Clause by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Christmas Clause
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #8
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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 plust lots of other shelter dogs that come and go.
  • Stars: 5

if you love a good cozy mystery, pets, and intriguing characters with a touch of Romance, you are going to love the Tess & Tilly series.

This is the 8th book in the series and it does not disappoint. Tess has found another clue into her dad’s past when a woman, who was somehow associated with her dad, is shot right in front of Tess. Now Tess wonders if somehow she lead the killer to this woman.

As Mike, Tess and Tony are investigating this murder, the town Santa is also murdered. So now they wonder if the two murders are connected. As they dig deeper, they aren’t sure if this involves her dad or if these two have another connection that got them killed.

Tess finds out a lot more about her dad’s past. If her dad one of the good guys or is he a killer?

As they are dealing with this,Tess & Mike’s relationship is suffering since he is mad at Tess for keeping secrets about their dad from him. Could this family drama destroy Bree and Tess’ friendship?

The plot thickens and takes lots of twist and turns to catch a killer before they kill again.

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

The Wedding Plan by Kathi Daley

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  • Title: The Wedding Plan
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #10
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Characters: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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 plust lots of other shelter dogs that come and go.
  • Stars: 5

In book 10 of the Tess & Tilly mysteries, it starts off with a missing child. Tess knows the area so she is helping search for the child and they end up with more than the bargained for. When one of the search and rescue dogs heads off barking at something they think is the missing child, they stumble upon a dismembered body.

This is a cozy mystery but I felt like it was a little more graphic than most cozies. Talking about a dismembered body and how body parts are laying around but the head is missing was a bit too much of a visual for me. But even with this the book was very engaging and I loved the mystery.

So there is a dismembered body to identify and they find out it is actually the parts from 2 different people & the tattoo on the arm leads them back to Tess & Mike’s dad.

In the middle of all of this Tess’ & Tilly are planning a secret wedding with just close friends ando family. Tony’s grandmother Nona is even planning to come from Italy. And Bree & Mike are still trying to get pregnant. Tony & Tess take in a new family member. Then there is a secret meeting planned with Tess & Mike’s dad.

Will they find the Identity of the dismembered bodies? And what happened to them? What is Tess & Mike’s dad’s connection? Will Tess & Tony’s wedding happen on time without a hitch? Did they find the missing child in the woods? Will Bree finally get pregnant and have the baby she is praying for? Do they meet up with their dad?

Lots of mystery and twist and turns that keeps you guessing throughout the book. It is very well written, just like the previous books of the series. The author really knows how to keep the reader engaged throughout her books.

I loved this and recommend all of the Tess & Tilly series.

Cozy Mystery, Fiction

The Puppy Project by Kathi Daily

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  • Title: The Puppy Project
  • Author: Kathi Daley
  • Series: Tess & Tilly #9
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: White Eagle, Montana
  • Main Character: Tess, Tony, Bree, Mike
  • Other Characters: Brady, Hap, Hattie, Tess’ mom,
  • 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 plust lots of other shelter dogs that come and go.
  • Stars: 5

The author has done it again by writing another compelling story that just makes the reader want more. Once I finish one book in the series, I can’t wait to start the next one.

This is the 9th book in the series. Brady, the vet in White Eagle, has received a donation of a lifetime. Tony, Tess’ boyfriend, and his friend Shaggy developed a video game and Tony gave his portion to Brady to expand White Eagle Animal Shelter. Brady and Tess want to offer housing for the elderly and hard to place animals. The also want a service dog & search and rescue training facility. While they are breaking ground for the expansion, they find a skeleton that is several years old. Mike is investigating but, as usual, Tess and Tony are doing their own investigation.

In the mean time, there are more mysteries that surround Tess’ dad. If they aren’t careful, someone else could end up dead. The plot thickens involving Tess’ dad, Grant. Tony has been receiving some emails from Tess’ dad but is it really Tess dad or someone pertending to be him? It seems Tony and Tess just keeps getting pulled in deeper and deep? Are they risking their lives by researching what her dad is involved in? Will they find out what he is up to and who he really is?

Tess is making some major decisions that will affect her entire life.

Read this book to find out more about Tess’ dad and to see what major decisions she is making and how it will affect her and Tony?

I really love all the characters in this series and I always anticipate what is coming next one.