As December dawns, let's take a look back at what I read in November. I had some time after getting back from Thanksgiving, so I got
the index updated.
The links will take you to my full review. All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).
Crescent City Christmas Chaos by Ellen Byron
(Vintage Cookbook Mysteries #4) – 5
Ricki James-Diaz is thrilled her parents are in town for
Christmas. She’s hoping that she and her
mom and use the time to track down more of Ricki’s birth family. But when one of her mom’s former co-workers
is killed right after Ricki meets her, murder takes center stage. As more of Ricki’s family and friends come
under suspicious, she can’t help but jump in.
Will she find the killer?
It was great to be back with Ricki and her family and
friends. They are a fun bunch, and we
met some new characters I hope we see again.
There are some spoilers for previous books’ ongoing storylines, but they
are minor. There are several subplots in
addition to the main mystery, so I was never bored. Yet everything was balanced well and we
reached a satisfying climax. I did find
a couple of small things that should have been caught by an edit, but they are
minor. I loved the Christmas setting of
the book for both the humor and the coziness it brought. And we get some appropriate recipes at the
end of the book. Whether you read this
book now or save it for December, you’ll be glad you read it.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
The Devil Comes Calling by Annette Dashofy
(Detective Honeywell Mysteries #3) – 5
Detective Matthias Honeywell is called to the scene of a
double homicide. The victims were found in a home being renovated and were shot
execution style. One of them was Emma Anderson’s predecessor as a crime beat photographer
for ErieLIVE. While Honeywell conducts his investigation, Emma begins to wonder
if a co-worker is involved. But with a complication from Honeywell’s past in
town, will that distract him from the case?
While it’s been two years for us since the previous book,
it’s only been a few weeks for the characters. I recommend you read the
previous book because this one picks up a storyline from that book; I wish I’d
had time to reread it myself. Also, keep in mind this is a police procedural,
not one of the cozies I often read and you’ll be fine. As always, this book
started strongly and kept getting better. I was hooked long before I reached
the logical yet surprising climax. Honeywell gets some very nice backstory
here, and Emma continues to be a strong second viewpoint characters. The
switches between the two are always easy to follow. The suspects are strong,
and I’m happy to see the supporting characters continue to grow. This book was
worth the wait. Dive into this series today.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Player Elimination by Shelly Jones (Wren
Winters Mysteries #1) – 3
Wren Winters is running the game story she and her late
husband started in a small college town. Her biggest issue is her landlord, who
is talking about doing something new with her building despite the fact that he
uses the game store to try out new solo games himself. But one morning she
arrives at the store to find the police there. Someone has murdered her
landlord. But who?
I’ve gotten back into games the last couple of years, so I
was hoping this would be a good cozy mystery with that theme. Sadly, it needed
just a bit more. There is one character who uses they/them pronouns that I
found distracting, but that’s probably mostly on me. Overall, the characters
were a little flat. The mystery was uneven, although the ending was good. Even
the games Wren and her friends played didn’t give us the details I was hoping
to enjoy. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue this series.
This Way to Murder by Shelley Shearer (Board
Game Cafe Mysteries #1) – 3
Remi McKenna is hosting a letterboxing event with some
friends in the town where she is planning to move. Along for the ride is her
best friend, Trace Cooper. However, Trace has brought a problem with her. She’s
been getting some weird texts and phone calls recently, and it appears her
potential stalker has followed her. Can Remi juggle the event she is running
with trying to figure out if her best friend is truly in danger?
This debut had some promise to it. I really did enjoy the
main characters, for example. The supporting characters tended to blend
together for me. While the letterboxing event was fun, I was expecting a bit
more about the board game cafe instead of it being a subplot. The pacing for
the mystery is a bit off, but things made sense when we reached the end. I’d
consider giving a second in the series a chance, but I’d hope some of these
kinks would be worked out.
Framed! by James Ponti (Framed! #1) – 4
Florian Bates and his family have just moved to Washington
DC, where his parents have landed jobs at the National Gallery. Florian is building a friendship with his
neighbor, Margaret, before they both start middle school. But when the National Gallery is robbed, they
realize they might have some vital information.
Can they use their observations to figure out the crime.
This book starts with an exciting scene near the climax
before flashing us back to the beginning, a storytelling style I don’t
like. And the book took a bit longer
with the set up than I normally enjoy.
Here, I did find watching Florian and Margaret build their friendship
fun. The mystery itself is good with
some nice developments before we reach the climax. I also enjoyed the homage to Sherlock Holmes
in Florian’s ability to observe the small things. Readers of all ages will find the pages
turning all too quickly. I’m hoping I
can read the next two soon.
Catering to the Dead by Kim Davis (Cupcake
Catering Mysteries #8) – 4
Emory Martinez is providing the cupcakes for a Dia de los
Muertos party. She’s also helping out her sister, who is providing the rest of
the food. But as Emory is cleaning up after the event, she finds a member of
the Mariachi band under the dessert table. She doesn’t consider this a case she
needs to get involved in until the hosts keep trying to point the finger at
her. Can she find another killer?
When I saw we were getting a new entry in this series, I
jumped at a chance to read it. While the setting may not be traditionally cozy,
I really enjoy it. And the characters help pull us in. I enjoyed spending time
with Emory and her family and friends as always. The pacing was a little off
early, and the end left me with a minor question, but overall, the mystery was
enjoyable. Plus we get nine recipes and two craft ideas. Whether new to the
series or a longtime fan, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Murder at Cottonwood Creek by Clara McKenna
(Stella and Lyndy Mysteries #7) – 4
Stella and Lyndy are in Montana visiting Stella’s mother and
the dig site where Lyndy’s father is spending the summer of 1906 looking for
fossils. Not too long after the couple
arrives, the night watchman for the dig dies.
While the local coroner is quick to rule it an accident, Stella thinks
there might be more to it. If she is
right, how can Lyndy and Stella prove it?
It was natural that Stella and Lyndy would wind up in the US
at some point instead of England, where the earlier books were set. This
different setting allowed us to see a different side of Lyndy. Between that and the continuation of
character arcs from earlier in the series, I liked the character growth we
got. Sadly, many of the regulars didn’t
make the trip, and I did miss them. The
new characters, while good suspects, weren’t the same. The mystery is a bit uneven, partially
because it tries to do a bit too much. I
did have one issue that I didn’t feel was resolved, but overall, I was
satisfied with the ending. While this
may not be the best book to jump into the series with, it is one that fans will
still enjoy.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Paradise Plagued by Sarah E. Burr (Court of
Mystery #6) – 4
Jax, her new husband, and her closest friends are escaping
to the Ogdam Oasis for a much-deserved vacation. She is going under an assumed
name in a hope to truly be able to relax. However, Jax finds a dead body their
first night there. When some things at the scene don’t add up, Jax determines
that it was murder. Can she find a way to bring about justice without giving
away who she really is?
It was longer than I intended before I returned to this
series, but it was good to visit Jax again.
All my favorite characters made the trip with her, and some of the
others did get mentioned. Updates on the
politics of the realm in the months since we last visited Jax slowed down the
beginning, but I got caught up in the mystery once it really got going. I did figure one thing out early, but I was
hooked all the way until the logical solution.
A few of the characters didn’t come fully alive for me, but that was due
to their limited page time. This story
does move the series into a new direction, and I’m anxious to see what comes
next. Fans will be glad they read this
book and be ready for the next when they set this one down.
Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg (Eve Ronin #6) – 4
LA County Sheriff Detective Eve Ronin and her partner are
called to the scene of a body found in the Malibu Lagoon. Of course, it
couldn’t be a body floating in the water. That would be too easy. In this case,
the body was found floating in a fifty-five-gallon drum. What’s even more
shocking is that Eve recognizing the victim. With his ties to some of the most
powerful people in the county, can she find the killer without getting impacted
by the politics of the case?
This book does contain some heavy spoilers for earlier
stories in the series by necessity, but there is enough background you could
jump in here. And what a wild ride it is. The plot spins in some unexpected
directions, but I believed it all on the way to the logical climax. The
characters are a little thin, but I do care about them. And I appreciate the
depth we did get for Eve. The banter between the characters was fun, and the
locker room humor was kept to a minimum. The violence was a little more than in
the books I typically read. I’m ready for the next already, and fans of the
series will be glad they picked this one up.
