All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great). The links will take you to my full review.
Essentials of Homicide by Kim Davis (Aromatherapy
Apothecary Mysteries #3) – 4
A movie production has come to Oak Creek Valley, but the star of the film in a horrible jerk. And that’s putting it mildly. He won’t stop harassing Carissa’s best friend, Ashley. That is until someone kills him. With rumors flying that Ashley did it, Carissa sets out to clear her friend. Can she figure out who really killed the star?
I hadn’t realized how much I love these characters until I picked up this book. It was great to spend time with them again. And the new characters were strong and helped pull me into the story. The plot started well, but it did faulter a little in the second half. Even then, these are minor issues. If you are looking for a charming cozy mystery, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Art Attack by James Ponti (The Sherlock
Society #3) – 4
The Sherlock Society is thrilled! They’ve been hired for their first paying case. A developer wants to have Funky Munky, graffiti artist (or graffiti writer, which is their preferred term), do a mural on their new building. Just one problem – Funky Munky has kept their identity a secret for the year that they’ve been tagging buildings in Miami. But it’s hard to turn down the money, so the society takes on the case. Will they be able to piece together some clues? Or will Funky Munky remain elusive?
The book took a bit of time to fully set up graffiti
culture. I was glad to see the fact that
it is a crime was eventually brought up, even if in passing. I was impressed with how the characters
followed a logical set of clues, and there were some good twists along the
way. Unfortunately, the climax was a bit
rushed, including a plot point left dangling.
On the other hand, I continue to love the characters. Their friendship is great to watch, and I
love the fact that the adults are responsible as well. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I’m sure the
target audience will as well.
The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich by P.J.
Fitzsimmons (Anty Boisjoly #6) – 5
Anty is off to Scotland to be one of the judges in a once a decade contest to determine which of the two villages in the region gets to sell their whiskey under the official label. But he arrives to the news that one of the distillers has just blown himself up in his still. Naturally, this peaks Anty’s interest, and he starts investigating. Did the centuries old rivalry turn deadly? Does the world’s toughest golf course play a role? Can Anty investigate while being followed by an increasingly large flock of sheep?
This series is equal parts locked room mystery and
laugh-out-loud comedy. Sometimes, the
book can get too witty for its own good, but the balance is perfect here. I was confused by the case until Anty figured
it out, but it made sense when he did. I
thought I was going to struggle to keep the similar names straight, but I found
I was able to follow all the key players just fine. And the wit and banter were clever and fun
without being overdone. Plus, the absurd
just added to the fun. These books work well
as standalones. Don’t hesitate to pick
up any book when you are in the mood for a funny mystery.
The Cambodian Curse and Other Stories by Gigi
Pandian (A Jaya Jones Short Story Collection) – 5
This is a collection of short stories and novellas that feature Jaya Jones as she finds herself involved in some locked room mysteries. The title story was originally written for this collection and involves a murder and theft at a local art museum. In another, after being stranded in Denver due to snow, Jaya must figure out who killed an author in the hotel’s library. She also gets involved in a theft and disappearance at a conference. A couple of stories star Jaya’s friend Sanjay, and one of Sanjay’s stories finds him trying to solve a murder on an island off the coast of San Franciscos. There’s also a story featuring Tempest, the main character of the author’s Secret Staircase Mysteries. In the final story, Jaya must figure out who stole a valuable chess set.
All told there are nine stories in this collection. I might have been ahead of Jaya a couple of
times, but for the most part, I was kept guessing until the end. And the stories are all fun. The collection jumps around in Jaya’s life,
but there aren’t spoilers for the novels, so anyone new to her world could use
this as an introduction. It’s fun to see
many of the characters from the series pop in and out, and the new characters
serve the stories well. I’m glad I’m up
to date on Jaya’s adventures and look forward to seeing what she gets up to
when the series continues next year.
Apple Pies and Poisoned Lies at the Cider Falls Festival by Traci Hall (Macki Smith Mysteries #1) – 2
Macki Smith has moved back home to Cider Falls and is helping out at her family’s apple orchard. She’s gotten talked into participating in the apple pie baking contest that happens during the town festival every year. But the contest winds up getting canceled at the last minute when one of the contestants is found dead in her tent. Since the murder weapon was Macki’s knife, she becomes the prime suspect. Can she prove she didn’t do it?
I’ve heard lots of good things about this author over the years, so I decided to give this first book in a new series a try. I absolutely loved the late summer vibes, and the characters were charming. I’m sure I’d enjoy the visit to Cider Falls. But the plotting was way off. It started slowly, too little happened, and the ending was weak. Plus, there’s a second storyline that takes up a lot of page time before ending unsatisfactorily as well. The writing was also weak, with too much repetition and detail at times. While I did love the character and vibes, it won’t be enough to get me to come back for the next book in the series.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Death in Luxor by M. A. Monnin (Intrepid
Traveler Mysteries #4) – 4
The brand new Grand Egyptian Museum is set to open, but they’ve been getting notes threatening one of their exhibits. Is someone planning a theft for opening night? Stefanie Adams and Thomas Burkhardt are heading to Egypt to figure things out. The suspects are a group of Egyptian history enthusiasts who have the wealth to buy their way out of close inspection when leaving the country. As theft and murder swirl around them, can Stefanie and Thomas figure out what is truly going on?
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
‘Tis the Season to be Scary by Vicki Delany
(Year-Round Christmas Mysteries #9) – 3
Merry’s best friend, Vicky Casey, has been working on a cookbook for the last couple of entries in this series, and it is finally coming out. But the night before the official book launch, the annual fundraiser for the local hospital is happening. It’s a big gala at the Yuletide Inn, and everyone is there, including people from out of town. One of those out-of-town guests is Cynthia, an online reviewer (those evil people!) who has panned Vicky’s new book. As the evening is winding down, Cynthia falls over and then dies on the way to the hospital. If Cynthia didn’t die of natural causes, what happened to her?
I debated about continuing the series before ultimately
deciding to continue via the library.
Sadly, I once again found it average.
The pacing was off, especially in the middle when some subplots took
over. While I like the series regulars,
I want to see some character growth. I
feel like things are staying too much the same.
While I wasn’t bothered by the fact that the cozy Christmas vibes
weren’t as plentiful due to it being a Halloween set book, I didn’t like the
paranormal element the book introduced, especially since the book relied on it
too much. We do have three delicious
sounding recipes at the end. I’m
debating if I want to read any more books in this series.
My Father Always Finds Corpses by Lee Hollis
(Father/Daughter Mysteries #1) – 3
Former child star Jarrod Jarvis has retired from Hollywood and is now living in Palm Spring. He’s still morning the death of his husband, Charlie, and their grief has driven a wedge between Jarrod and his daughter, Liv. But when Liv’s boyfriend is murdered, the two start to investigate. Will working on the murder bring them closer together?
I’ve wanted to read one of this author’s books for a while,
and I settled on this one. It was a bit
more melancholy than I was expecting, but the tone made sense given where the
characters start the book. The plot took
a bit to get going, but once it did, the pacing was better. Still, the climax felt a bit much while still
being enjoyable. I also felt like some
of the details weren’t consistent across the book, although that might have
been me. I did like Jarrod and Liv who
felt real, and the rest of the cast was just as entertaining. I will consider picking up another Lee Hollis
book, but I won’t be rushing to do so.
Death Walked In by Carolyn Hart (Death on
Demand #18) – 4
It’s February, and Max hasn’t taken on any clients since what happened to him last summer. Instead, he’s poured all his focus on restoring the Franklin House to its former glory so he and Annie can move in. So, when a woman calls Max’s office saying she hid something in Franklin House, Max isn’t interested in hearing more. Annie, on the other hand, goes to visit the woman only to find her dying. Is there really something hidden in Franklin House? Who killed the caller?
It was nice to see this book pick up on a few threads from
the previous one, although you don’t need to read the books in order. Max actually got some growth, which I
appreciated. I did miss most of the
regulars, although the main supporting trio still managed to make their usual
fun contributions. I am very frustrated
with the lengths we go through to continue having an adversarial relationship
with the police, but the mystery itself was solid with a logical climax that I
only partially figured out. It’s always
fun to pop over to Broward’s Rock, and this book is no exception.
#TreatYourself to Murder by Sarah E. Burr
(Trending Topic Mysteries #5) – 5
There has been a string of fires in Central Shores that started around Halloween, and the investigation doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. But things take a tragic turn in early December when a body is found in the latest fire. The victim is a young woman who had been living in her car, but had recently gone missing. Social media influencer Coco Cline was already trying to help find the victim, but when she is asked to help figure out what happened, she doesn’t hesitate. With the help of her friends and fiancĂ©, she finds that sleuthing and Christmas shopping make a good pairing. But can she find another killer?
This author has become a favorite, and this book is a great example of why. We don’t waste any time getting to the plot, and the story never lags on the way to the logical and suspenseful climax. Coco and her friends are a great team, and I always enjoy spending more time with them. Given the Christmas setting, I was a bit surprised we didn’t see more of Coco’s family, but they would have slowed things down. The Christmas vibes are great, and I had fun seeing how those elements helped further the story. If you haven’t tried one of Sarah’s books, you need to fix that. Fans of this series are in for a Christmas treat.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Death Down the Aisle by Colleen Cambridge
(Phyllida Bright Mysteries #6) – 4
Dr. John Bhatt is getting married to Emily, a woman he met while home visiting in India. Emily’s family, such as it is, live in Coatesworth Manor, not too far from Mallowan Hall, and the entire staff has been given time off to attend if they wish. Of course, Phyllida Bright has been involved with helping to plan it, which is why she is on hand to witness some of the dynamics in Emily’s extended family. While things have been tense, Phyllida doesn’t expect murder, but after the happy couple depart, someone turns up dead. Can Phyllida figure out what happened?
While the book took a bit of time with the setup, the mystery delivered in spades. I was turning pages as quickly as possible at one point, and I was surprised by the climax. This ode to romantic triangles in Agatha Christie’s books did inflict Phyllida’s personal life, which I found annoying. The returning characters continue to entertain, and I really hope we see something come from what was set up here. And the suspects developed as the book went along, which made it easy to keep them straight. Now that I’ve caught up on this series, I am going to have to wait to see what happens next to Phyllida and the rest of the regulars.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
