All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).
A Disguise to Die For by Diane Vallere (Costume Shop Mysteries
#1) – 5
Margo Tamblyn returns home to help her father with the
family costume shop, Disguise DeLimit, in time to put together a bunch of detective
costumes for a birthday party. But when
the guest of honor is murdered in the kitchen and Margo’s good friend Ebony is
the prime suspect, Margo has to put her own detective costume on to find the
killer.
This was a fantastic start to a new series. The plot was great with many twists and
surprises before we reached the logical conclusion. The characters were stronger and had more
depth than many characters in long running series do. And the costume element was just plain fun,
as I expected it would be. I can’t wait
to revisit these characters again soon.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
Scene of the Brine by Mary Ellen Hughes (Pickled &
Preserved Mysteries #3) – 4
Coverdale is all talking about the Porter family who has
just moved into town. Unfortunately,
they arrive with the family accountant in tow, and Dirk Unger is not a nice man
at all. When he is poisoned and the son
of a friend becomes the prime suspect, Piper must jump in and figure out what
really happened.
The book took a bit to get going, but once it did I was
fully on board. I do like these
characters, and it was great to see them again.
The plot took some unexpected twists on the way to a creative climax,
and I read the second half in one day so I could find out what was happening.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #4) –
3
It’s the week before Christmas, and a movie crew is coming
to film at Flavia’s family home. While excited, Flavia is plotting how to trap
Father Christmas when he shows up on Christmas morning. However, that takes a back seat when the lead
actress is film is murdered. Fortunately
for Flavia, the suspects are trapped in her home due to a massive snow
storm. Can she figure out who the killer
is?
While I do like the characters and didn’t find Flavia nearly
as annoying in this book as I did the previous one, I found the plot way too
slow. The murder happened half way
through the book, and the tension and set up to justify that just wasn’t
present. Once the murder took place, the
book definitely picked up, however.
For Cheddar or Worse by Avery Aames (Cheese Shop Mysteries #7)
– 4
Providence is hosting its first annual Cheese Festival, and
several people involved in making and selling cheese are coming together to
share ideas on the process. Newlyweds
Charlotte and Jordan are excited to be a part of it – until Lara Berry shows
up. Lara’s public persona hides a truly
nasty person underneath, and she is murdered after telling the rest of the
group exactly what she thinks of them.
Can Charlotte figure out who actually killed Lara?
This book had some of the most intense scenes in the series,
although I did feel the plot got a little sidetracked a couple of times. Still, it built up to a logical and exciting
climax. Unfortunately, this is the last
book in the series, but the author has done a good job of wrapping things up
for those of us who are fans. That’s
wonderful since these characters have always been strong, and they continue to
be strong here.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna by Maia Chance (Fairy Tale Fatal
Mysteries #3) – 5
Despite her intension to leave Paris for America, Ophelia
Flax finds herself going to the country estate of her soon to be ex-fiancée to
join a hunting party. But a broken down
coach brings strangers into the mix, and the next morning one of them is
dead. The locals are blaming it on the
legend of an ancient beast, but Ophelia thinks poison was involved. Can she figure out whose heart is beastly
enough to be a killer?
This is such a great book!
The author weaves in elements of “Beauty and the Beast” and plays with
it as a real legend while presenting a puzzling mystery filled with real
characters and viable suspects.
Everything kept me guessing until the great climax, and the way this
book leaves things, I hope we get more soon.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
The Secret of the Caves by Franklin W. Dixon (Hardy Boys #7) –
4
The Hardys are dealing with two cases. While their father works on sabotage at a
local security station, Frank and Joe head to a college to try to find a
missing professor. But the trail leads
them to some caves south of Bayport.
What exactly will they find there?
This was actually the first Hardy Boys books I picked up
many years ago, and it was fun to revisit.
I didn’t remember much about the mystery, so it kept me guessing until
the end. I did find the ending very
rushed and the characters flat, but I still had fun revisiting them.
Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay (Cupcake Bakery #7) – 5
Fairy Tale Cupcakes are selling cupcakes at the end of the
first annual Zombie walk in town, and Mel, Angie, and the rest of their staff
are getting into the spirit of things.
But the fun takes a dark turn when Mel finds a body stuffed into the
coffin outside their cupcake truck – a body that hits very close to home. Who was the target and why?
This book is a little darker than others in the series based
on the plot alone, but we are talking a shade darker – cozy fans will still
love it. The mystery takes a back seat
at times to the characters reactions to the murder, but that was the
appropriate response to the plot and I was never board while reading it. The book reaches a logical and page turning
climax, and it also features some of the funniest scenes in the series. I think this is best for people already fans
of the series, but they will love it.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of the book in hopes that I would
review it.
Berried Secrets by Peg Cochran (Cranberry Cove Mysteries #1) –
3
Monica Albertson has moved to Cranberry Cove to help her
half-brother, Jeff, run his cranberry farm.
But when a body is found in one of the bogs on the first day of the
harvest and the victim is someone who was stealing from Jeff, Monica soon
realizes she must save him from being arrested for murder.
The book started out very slowly as it was setting up
characters and the location.
Unfortunately, I still had a hard time connecting with the characters
until the second half. Likewise, the
plot does pick up in the second half, but a day that vanishes from the timeline
bothered me. The climax was wonderful
and the killer a surprise, but overall, the book was just average.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in hopes I would review
it.
Frankencrayon by Michael Hall – 5
The crayon lead production of Frankenstein is all ready to go until the giant squiggle appears in
the sky. Can they solve the problem, or
will they have to cancel this book before we even get a chance to read it?
This is a delightfully funny picture book that parents will
definitely appreciate. It breaks the
fourth wall as the crayons tell us the story of why they can’t tell us the
story of Frankenstein. After things are
resolved, we get a couple of fun and appropriate morals that don’t lecture
us. I’m not sure the very youngest of
kids will understand all the jokes, but older picture book fans should get them
with some help from their parents.
Fogged Inn by Barbara Ross (Maine Clambake Mysteries #4) – 5
It’s the off-season in Maine, and Julia and her boyfriend
Chris are operating a dinner restaurant in the building where their friend Gus
has his breakfast and lunch restaurant.
When Gus comes in one morning to open, he finds a dead body in the
refrigerator. The victim had come in for
dinner the night before, but he is a stranger in town. Who was he?
And why was he murdered in the restaurant?
This book opens with the murder right away, and the pace
never slacks. I did miss a few of the
usual supporting characters who are reduced to cameos here, but the new
characters more than make up for it. The
book builds to a sobering climax that adds some nice depth to the book and even
a couple of our characters. I love this
series, and this is another great entry.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Jane Ryland #4) – 4
Reporter Jane Ryland is hoping that a freelance assignment
she’s been given might be her ticket to a new job. She’s covering a stabbing in mid-day in a
Boston park. However, she’s barely
arrived on the scene when her sister calls with news that could lead to a
family crisis. Can Jane balance the two?
Really, this book deftly blends two different plots into one
compelling book. I did find it a little
slow at first as it the stories build and the new characters are introduced,
but once it gets going, I couldn’t put it down.
Jane and her boyfriend, detective Jake Brogan, are fantastic lead
characters, and it’s always great to see them back in action.
The Silencing: How the Left is Killing Free Speech by Kirsten
Powers – 5
A sobering look at how the illiberal left is using name
calling and intimidation to silence those they disagree with. Columnist and Fox News contributor Kirsten
Powers chronicles stories from the last few years of this trend to name call,
demonize, and shout down those who don’t follow liberal dogma to the
letter. She shares stories from college
campuses, feminism, and the war on Fox News.
There is little editorializing in the book. Instead, she lays out story after story of
how people are being attacked for saying things that aren’t deemed
correct. The result is a book that
anyone who cares about America should read with their eyes wide open.
Woof by Spencer Quinn (Bowser and Birdie #1) – 3
Bowser is thrilled when Birdie and her Grammy pick him to be
their new dog. The trio has just
returned from the shelter when they discover that Grammy’s prize marlin is
missing. The stuffed fish was only worth
sentimental memories. Or was it? Rumors of a treasure map spark Bowser and Birdie’s
interest. Can they solve the mystery?
Like Spencer Quinn’s series for adults, this middle grade
novel is narrated by Bowser the dog.
That part of the story is cute and feels right, although it can get over
done, especially as the good reaches the end.
The human characters are just as well drawn and lovely. Unfortunately, the plot is very uneven with a
slow start and a rush to wrap things up that leaves a major plot thread
unanswered.
You did great for reading! Happy March!
ReplyDeleteIts always nice to have a month with multiple 5 star reads. All the best to you in March.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good reading month. I got hung up on your header, so much to look at and enjoy.
ReplyDelete