Review of Plain Missing

 

Plain Missing

An Amish Mystery, Book #4

Emma Miller

5 Stars

Synopsis:

Inn owner Rachel Mast is no longer a devout member of the Amish community of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, but she still cares deeply for them. So she’s staying at her family’s farm to help her mother through an illness—and at the same time, trying to track down two missing people . . .

When the young gather to sing, it’s usually an evening of wholesome fun—but this time, the event has stirred whispers of scandal. Elsie Hostetler and her sweetheart, Dathan Bender, never came home afterward. There’s not even a trace of their horse and wagon, leading some to suspect that they’ve run off to marry and join the Englisch world.

But Rachel fears there’s more to the story than a rebellious elopement. Her fiancé, a state trooper, is out of town, so she starts investigating herself, using her Amish background to pry information from the tight-lipped community. It turns out things were not so peaceful between Elsie and Dathan—and there was also a confrontation at the singing with a short-tempered ex-Marine. Among the simple houses and quiet country roads of Stone Mill, Rachel must find out just what kind of sins have been committed—and who is need of forgiveness . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  Rachel is a smart strong woman who is not afraid of hard work and always wants to see justice served. That is why she is more than willing to do what needs to be done when one of her cousin goes missing.  I like the relationship between her and another cousin, Mary Aaron.  I really like the fact that Rachel is able to relate to both the Amish and the English.  I enjoyed reading about her relationships with both sides and seeing how she still honors Amish tradition.

The  writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The author is very talented with her ability to describes people, places and situations with the written word.  Through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place around me.  At times I felt like I could hear the horses pulling the Amish buggies.

The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book and there were many twists and turns to throw the reader of track.  I did not figure out who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.  

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted Amish cozy.  I have read all the books in this series and they have all been great.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.  I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

  

Review of Murder At Turtle Cove

 

Murder At Turtle Cove

Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery, Book #5

Kathi Daley

5 Stars

Synopsis:

Luke and Lani once again recruit the senior sleuthing brigade to help them track down a killer when the owner of the new food truck in town is found dead at Turtle Cove.  (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional.  Lani is fearless, smart, determined and hates to take no for an answer.  She also likes to act before she thinks and this has caused some troubles for her in the past.  I really like the fact that she is spunky and feisty.  Luke is a good guy who is more than happy to help Lani whenever she investigates a murder, which seems to happen quite frequently.  I enjoyed getting to spend time with them and also the senior sleuths.  This author has a special talent in creating characters that the reader cares about.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The author is also very talented in her descriptive writing.  Much of the time I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and eavesdropping on many conversation.   The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book and with so many suspects to consider and clues to sift through, I did not figure the killer until it was revealed at the end.  The author is also very talented in entwining different story lines and and having them coming together at the end.

I would this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy.  In fact, I would recommend all of this author’s series.  They are all very good.   

 

 

Author Spotlight–Susan Boles

Today’s Author Spotlight is Susan Boles, the author of A Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery Series.  I have read both books in the series and I have loved them both.  Learn a little bit about the author and her series and one other book she has written and then get the books so you can enjoy them.

 

About The Author:

Susan calls McNairy County, TN her home ground even though she has moved away. It was here, at Bethel Springs Junior High School that she began her writing career with two friends. They formed their own little writers group that was so secret they were the only ones who knew it existed. She still has some of the stories they wrote carefully preserved in a loose leaf binder and tucked away for safety.

She has worked in retail management, briefly for the Census Bureau and for many years in the investment/insurance industry in the regulatory compliance arena. All of which are left brain activities. So she exercises her right brain activity with reading and writing…just to keep both sides even.

Reading has been a passion since she was very young. As a toddler, her mother read to her from her ‘baby books’ and her Mother tells a story about her holding one of them upsidedown and ‘reading’ by repeating the story verbatim from memory.

Susan writes mysteries set in the big city of Memphis, TN and the fictional small town of Mercy, Mississippi.

Stay in touch for upcoming releases!  (Goodreads)

 

 

A Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery Series:

The first book in the Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery series. Quicker than she can stitch together the threads of a genealogy project she’s just signed on to research, Lily Gayle Lambert finds herself embroiled in investigating the murder of a stranger who suffers from ‘wolfman syndrome’. And, when a member of a prominent family turns up dead soon after the ‘wolfman’, Lily Gayle must find the link between the two and solve the mystery before she becomes the next target. Escaping from a trailer in the woods owned by two good ole boys and a confrontation with the eldest son of the town’s wealthiest family have Lily Gayle hot on the trail of the killer…much to the consternation of her cousin. Who just happens to be the County Sheriff. With the help of her lifelong best friend, Dixie, and town busybody, Miss Edna, she pieces together the clues leading to a conclusion that shocks the entire town (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

 

Lily Gayle and the gang set out to find a killer after local baker Luxen Natolovich is found dead hours before the grand opening weekend at the new Bed and Breakfast in town, Midnight Dragonfly.

As Lily Gayle deciphers the clues around Luxen’s death she uncovers a conspiracy of lies and half truths that could very well be tied to a refugee camp in Mississippi during World War II.

The deeper Lily Gayle digs the deeper the consipiracy runs and the closer she comes to being the killers next victim. (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also by Susan Boyle:

 

When Sarah’s Cameron’s art gallery burns to the ground, it’s just the first in a string of events that casts shadows on her relationship with her partner, Isaiah Morton. Soon, a stalker is shadowing her every move. Can she trust an older man with a mysterious past to protect her?

Arson investigator, Jake Riordan, thinks he has all the answers. But will his attraction to Sarah open the door to memories he put aside long ago? And do those memories, and his own past, hold the answers to who’s after Sarah?  (Goodreads)

New Releases For The Week Of March 26th, 2017–Part 3

 

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of March 26th, 2017.  Since there were so many this week, I am going to divide them between three days.  Here is the last day this weeks list.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading.  Enjoy and happy reading.

 

If you think going home again is hard, try being a plus-sized PI with a troubled family legacy. But Savannah Reid is no shrinking violet. She’s ready for her high school reunion, complete with mean girls, ex-beaus–and murder charges…

When Savannah Reid fled McGill, Georgia, all those years ago, everyone figured the chubby girl from the wrong side of tracks wouldn’t be back. But with the hope of seeing her beloved Granny Reid, Savannah makes a triumphant return with her handsome husband on her arm, ready to face the past at her 25th high school reunion. When her old nemesis Queen of Mean Jeanette Parker shows she hasn’t changed her stripes one bit, Savannah rises to the challenge–and finally comes out on top. Until Jeanette’s dead body shows up in the swamp and just about everyone is ready to pin Savannah for murder….

Of course, Savannah’s own Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency comes to her rescue. But even her best buds are having trouble keeping Savannah out of jail, despite the fact that Jeanette has more than enough enemies–and quite possibly the blood of her recently deceased husband on her hands. Savannah never thought going back to school would be so hard. But she’s learned a thing or two in her time away, and she’s ready to finally make the grade when it comes to the ultimate high school redemption…  (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

Despite the bitter winter in South Lick, Indiana, business is still hot at Robbie Jordan’s restaurant. But when another murder rattles the small town, can Robbie defrost the motives of a cold-blooded killer?

Before she started hosting dinners for Indiana University’s Sociology Department at Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie never imagined scholarly meetings could be so hostile. It’s all due to Professor Charles Stilton, who seems to thrive on heated exchanges with his peers and underlings, and tensions flare one night after he disrespects Robbie’s friend, graduate student Lou. So when Robbie and Lou go snowshoeing the next morning and find the contentious academic frozen under ice, police suspect Lou might have killed him after their public tiff. To prove her friend’s innocence, Robbie is absorbing local gossip about Professor Stilton’s past and developing her own thesis on the homicide—even if that means stirring up terrible danger for herself along the way . . .  (Amazon)

 

 

 

 

 

In the coastal town of Haven Harbor, blood runs thicker than water–and just as freely . . .
Antique dealer Sarah Byrne has never unspooled the truth about her past to anyone–not even friend and fellow Mainely Needlepointer Angie Curtis. But the enigmatic Aussie finally has the one thing she’s searched for all her life–family. And now she and long-lost half-brother, Ted Lawrence, a wealthy old artist and gallery owner in town, are ready to reveal their secret connection . . .
Ted’s adult children are suspicious of their newfound aunt Sarah–especially after Ted, in declining health, announces plans to leave her his museum-worthy heirloom paintings. So when Ted is poisoned to death during a lobster bake, everyone assumes she’s guilty. If Sarah and Angie can’t track down the real murderer in time, Sarah’s bound to learn how delicate–and deadly–family dynamics can truly be . . . (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

 

 

With summer approaching, Ellie Avery s schedule is ruled by attending end-of-the-year events at her kids school and avoiding run-ins with her arch competitor. When a murder disrupts the core curriculum, can the two women form an alliance to teach the killer a lesson in justice?”
As a regular volunteer at North Dawkins Elementary, Ellie would never miss the annual Mother’s Day breakfast even if she has to tolerate the likes of Gabrielle Matheson. The rivals aren’t exactly sworn enemies, although Ellie still thinks there’s only room for one professional organizer in their small Georgia town.
But when Ellie sees Gabrielle in the hallway, she s a mess. It looks like Gabrielle s seen a ghost or, as she explains, a dead body inside the supply closet. Before Ellie can get help the body vanishes . . . only to mysteriously reappear later at the school.
Little is known about the victim, a secretive snoop with a nosy nature and a penchant for keeping quiet about her own past. Ellie will leave no desk unturned to protect her kids and expose the cunning criminal s identity. Because if she doesn t, the killer may chalk up another textbook case of murder . . .
Don t miss Ellie Avery s great tips for PTA moms!  (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

Thistle Winchester never thought of herself as responsible, but when Overlook helper Belinda gets a chance to go to a special conference and learn about opening her own business, Thistle volunteers to watch Belinda’s daughter Annie.
Thistle was the queen of rotten children so she thinks Annie will be easy. How hard can one child be to handle, after all? That feeling only lasts until Annie disappears into the frigid woods surrounding Hemlock Cove.
Thistle is at a loss and desperate to find her, so she calls for reinforcements. After that it’s a mad race, with everyone who loves Annie tearing apart the town to find her.
Answers are never easy, and when clues start rolling in Thistle and Aunt Tillie are left to piece together a puzzle that is years in the making and could have dire consequences.
It’s all hands on deck for another Winchester adventure. When the end comes, Thistle finds her belief system shaken to its very core … something she will gladly overcome to get Annie back.

Note: This is a 28,000-word short set in the Wicked Witches of the Midwest world. It is set between The Trouble With Witches and Murder Most Witchy.  (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

Hollywood sweetheart Joey Darling’s adventures and mishaps continue in the third book of the charming mystery series set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

 (Goodreads)

“Man Overboard!”

That’s not what you want to hear when you’re a week into a 10-day South Sea Island honeymoon. Georgie Shaw and Detective Jack Wheeler are living it up on Marvelous Marley World’s luxurious cruise ship, the MMW Fantasy of the Sea when trouble strikes. The deluxe accommodations, 5-star cuisine, legendary Marley World entertainment, and exotic locale comes with something extra–a boatload of mystery:

*A missing passenger that no one misses.
*Stolen jewelry, and some of it’s fake.
*A murdered man and his killer on the loose.
*A cool blonde, a sultry brunette, and too many suspects.

What’s going on?

Put on the spot by Georgie’s not too tightly wrapped boss, they’re soon swept up into the investigation. The pressure is on too. Ari’i nui—the Big Chief himself, Mad Max Marley, is on his way from California to Tahiti. Can Georgie and Jack figure out whodunit before he arrives and scuttles the entire investigation?

Cats on board, too! Sweet romance and chocolate, too!  (Goodreads)

When the girls visit Las Vegas, slot machines and shows are high on their list. But when a murder occurs and a friend is accused, it’s up to the We’re Not Dead Yet Club to strut their stuff. However, the gals aren’t use to a town like Sin City, and its wily ways may hold danger and intrigue for our favorite group.  (Goodreads)

 

 

 

New releases For The Week Of March 26th, 2017–Part 2

 

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of March 26th, 2017.  Since there were so many this week, I am going to divide them between the next three days.  Here is Part Two.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading.  Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

I could stay awake just to feel you creeping…

FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Life is sweet for FBI Special Assistant Amanda Meyer. Her live-in boyfriend just happens to be her sexy boss, Rick Rowling, head of the Paranormal Cases Division, and cozy evenings at home are becoming a thing – but that just means a wicked new case is right around the corner.

When a little girl is kidnapped, the evidence points to world renowned psychic Aurora Westwood but something just doesn’t add up. In exchange for her help finding the missing child, Aurora has a proposition for Mandy that could change everything.

Juggling life-changing proposals, grim reminders of her haunted past and a parade of restless spirits is just another day at the office for the girl they once called the Reaper in this madcap fifth book in the Manhattan Mystery Series.   (Goodreads)

The picture postcard landscape of Cathedral Isle is ruined. How could it not be when the fried remains of celebrity eco-warrior, Millicent Pond, lies sprawled on its sandy shores?

Hattie and the cats are on the case, but there are far more layers to this investigation than meets the eye. Throw in Gideon Shields, the gorgeous Warlock Governor of Cathedral, and the mystery only deepens. No surprise that Hattie’s head is in a spin.
But, will our herbalist witch keep her wits about her while she unravels the clues? Moreover, will her potent magical gifts finally bring the reluctant witch onto center stage?

Find out what happens when chaos hits the Coven Isles once more, in this supernatural cozy comedy!

Book 4 of an eight-part series: Hattie Jenkins & The Infiniti chronicles.  (Goodreads)

A corpse has been discovered hidden in the fireplace of an old house. It has been there for thirty years, but who is it?

DCI Isaac Cook and his team at Challis Street Police Station are assigned the case.

It’s clearly murder, but who is the murdered person and what connection does the body have to the previous owners of the house.

And then why a fireplace? It was bound to be discovered eventually but was that what the murderer wanted.

The main suspects are all old and dying, or already dead. Yet again, there’s a motive, but what is it?

Isaac Cook has his work cut out trying to put the pieces together. Those who know are not talking out of an old-fashioned belief in that a family’s dirty laundry is not to be aired in public, and certainly not to a policeman.

Even if that means the murderer is never brought to justice.  (Amazon)

The eighth Trouble in Paradise island mystery featuring senior sleuth McKenna and his PI-wannabe sidekick Chance Logan.

Whatever happened to easy? McKenna had the perfect cover for his plan to propose marriage. He and his girlfriend Benni would help his elderly tenant, Mrs. Nakamura, fly to Maui for a visit with her pregnant granddaughter. Then, he’d take Benni for a walk on the beach. He had a ring, but did he have the courage to pop the question?

The minute they land, McKenna’s perfect plan hits a snag. Mrs. Nakamura’s grandson-in-law is being accused of murder—and she wants her amateur sleuth landlord to investigate. Reluctantly, McKenna agrees to take the case with his friend Chance. They dive into an investigation that starts in a seedy hospitality club and goes straight downhill. Before they know it, the battle for Maui’s water is raging around the amateur sleuths and they have too many questions to answer.
Why was the murder victim living under a fake identity? Why is their client claiming he committed the crime? And, who is the mystery man stalking them?

On a dusty cane road, McKenna must answer the toughest decision of his life—live rich or die poor? There’s no way it’s the question he wanted to face, but if McKenna doesn’t think fast, he may never ask another.  (Goodreads)

Toni Donovan teaches science in a small high school in the Missouri heartland. As a devoted wife and mother of two young sons, she leads a quiet and orderly existence—until she discovers the district’s missing superintendent, a woman she hated, in the body farm kept by her forensics class. The victim was a tyrant and manipulator, and Toni senses there are secrets in the halls of academia that no one suspects.

When, with the instincts of a scientist, Toni delves deeper into the murder investigation, she finds herself facing more problems than just preparing for classes and dealing with unruly students. When her younger son, whose dream prompted her to the location of the body, is threatened, Toni learns that danger and terror do happen in a small town, and that she must not allow hate to overtake her life. Determined to stop a killer, her quest leads her into a series of discoveries that could cost Toni her own life.  (Amazon)

Dan Paige was looking forward to a two-week holiday on a tropical beach until his car broke down on the way to the airport. He finds himself lost in the village of Nether Bumble, right in the middle of nowhere. When he’s discovered behind the pub in the middle of the night, holding a crowbar with blood all over his hands, the villagers quite rightly treat the new arrival with suspicion. And then they discover the local vicar has been murdered.

As Dan tries to prove his innocence, the police insist he can’t leave the village and confiscate his car. He’s further hindered by the vicar’s wife, her gardener, and a woman who won’t take no for an answer. Dan’s hopes of relaxing in the sun quickly fade away, but there might be a silver lining in the form of the pub landlord’s daughter. Unless, of course, she’s actually the murderer.

Set in a typical English village and the surrounding countryside, this good-natured mystery will delight with its entertaining cast of humorous characters.  (Amazon)

Ingrid and Gabe have returned to Sage Island to settle into their life together. They didn’t expect the local coven leader to ask for help. Not when Ingrid is the island’s worst witch and Gabe is non-magical.

Just what will a joint investigation cost their relationship? Ingrid probably shouldn’t have so much fun torturing her love while he investigates–but she does!  (Amazon)

An unprecedented crime wave is remorselessly sweeping across the city of London…

How have the criminals achieved so much recent remarkable success?
Inspector Lestrade does not know which way to turn. Holmes and Watson follow a series of tantalising clues leading them closer to the darkness…
Holmes begins to sense a creeping pattern behind their investigation…

Could this really be the great detective’s final chapter..?

(Amazon)

It is 1894, and the news of a Transylvanian nobleman’s death at the hands of a certain Professor Van Helsing is the talk of London.

Unsatisfied at the acquittal of the professor, Mycroft Holmes asks Sherlock to investigate what truly led to the deaths of Lucy Westenra and the mysterious aristocrat. The newspapers are full of inconsistencies and wild supernatural theories, and as Holmes digs deeper, he suspects that those hailed as heroes are not what they seem. The clues point to an innocent man framed and murdered for crimes he did not commit, and Holmes and Watson find themselves targeted at every turn, as what began as a quest to clear one man’s name reveals a conspiracy that draws them to the mountains of Transylvania and the infamous Castle Dracula.  (Amazon)

New releases For The Week Of March 26th, 2017–Part 1

 

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of March 26th, 2017.  Since there were so many this week, I am going to divide them between the next three days.  Here is Part One.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading.  Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

Lily Gayle and the gang set out to find a killer after local baker Luxen Natolovich is found dead hours before the grand opening weekend at the new Bed and Breakfast in town, Midnight Dragonfly.

As Lily Gayle deciphers the clues around Luxen’s death she uncovers a conspiracy of lies and half truths that could very well be tied to a refugee camp in Mississippi during World War II.

The deeper Lily Gayle digs the deeper the consipiracy runs and the closer she comes to being the killers next victim. (Goodreads)

The truth doesn’t always set you free…

Former lawyer Nicole Fitzhenry-Dawes thinks she’d be happy to spend her life making maple syrup and never take part in another murder investigation again. At least, she thinks so right up until the photographer she hired dies on the tour she’s leading and the main suspect is her friend’s niece, Holly.

When Holly disappears as well, Nicole faces what looks like a locked-room mystery. One of the people on the tour must have committed the crime, yet none of them could have done it.

To keep an innocent woman from going to prison, Nicole’s thrown right back into the midst of another hunt for a killer.

A killer who knows exactly where she lives…

Murder on Tap is the fourth book in Emily James’ Maple Syrup Mysteries. If you love small-town settings, quirky characters, and a dollop of romance, then you’ll want to buy this new amateur sleuth mystery series today!  (Amazon)

Chocolate Cozy Mystery series can be read in one to two hours. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read.
A new shop. A new neighborhood. And, a brand new mystery.
I n the quiet little town of Chester, Olivia Cloud, the proud proprietress of the Block-A-Choc Shoppe chocolaterie and bakery, delights in providing her customers with glorious, as well as delicious confections. Couple that with warm and fuzzy affections offered by the neighboring Cuddle Clinic, run and owned by Olivia’s dear friend, Jana Jujube.
Then, the unthinkable happens….
Poor Jana is brutally attacked and left in a coma. Shocked and devastated, Chester goes into a fervor over the horrible crime, and Olivia sets out to find the perpetrator. But, that may not be as easy as it seems.
Coupled with an inexperienced investigative partner Alvira, her shoppe’s assistant, Olivia initially coasts through the case, until the ladies stumble upon their first roadblock-Jessica Jujube, Jana’s often difficult and yet, mysterious sister.
Only a determined baker, her plucky assistant, a love struck gentleman and a host of other loveable and affable citizens can get justice for sweet Jana-by hook, crook and with plenty of cuddles.  (Amazon)

From five USA TODAY bestselling authors comes the next set of internationally bestselling cozy mystery novels in the Danger Cove Mysteries series! This boxed set includes three, full-length novels, including:

Tree of Life and Death
A Danger Cove Quilting Mystery
The holidays can be a killer…
Quilt appraiser Keely Fairchild is thrilled that the Danger Cove Quilt Guild has teamed up with the Historical Museum to make miniature quilts to decorate the museum’s Christmas tree. But when the owner of a Tree of Life quilt is fatally stabbed in the museum’s parking lot, Keely finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation!

Killer Colada
a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery
This is one drink that’s to die for…
It’s been a stressful couple of months for bartender, Hope Foster, so her best friend Ruby treats her to an afternoon of holistic pampering with therapist Pandora Williams. But what should be a relaxing getaway turns into a murder scene when Hope and Ruby stumble across Pandora’s lifeless body in the kitchen next to a killer cocktail.

Passion, Poison & Puppy Dogs
a Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mystery
In this dog eat dog world, it’s people you have to keep your eye on.
When Lizzie Jones, pet sitter extraordinaire, is asked to watch over her best friend’s two spoiled dogs at the posh gated community of Craggy Hill Estates, the last thing she expects is to wind up in the middle of a homicide. But that’s exactly what happens when she finds her best friend’s cheating husband and Danger Cove’s bodybuilder champ, Mr. Jupiter, floating facedown in his hot tub.

The Danger Cove books:
Secret of the Painted Lady (a Danger Cove Renovation Mystery)
Murder and Mai Tais (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
Death by Scones (a Danger Cove Bakery Mystery)
Four-Patch of Trouble (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)
Deadly Dye and a Soy Chai (a Danger Cove Hair Salon Mystery)
Killer Closet Case (a Danger Cove B&B Mystery)
Tree of Life and Death (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)
A Killing in the Market (a Danger Cove Farmers’ Market short story in the “Killer Beach Reads” collection)
Killer Colada (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
A Novel Death (a Danger Cove Bookshop Mystery)
Robbing Peter to Kill Paul (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)
Sinister Snickerdoodles (a Danger Cove Bakery Mystery)
Hurricanes and Heroes (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
Divas, Diamonds & Death (a Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mystery)

About Danger Cove:
Danger Cove is a sleepy little town in the Pacific Northwest and home to renowned mystery novelist, Elizabeth Ashby. While Elizabeth swears the stories she writes are fiction, you can find the inspiration for her murderous tales all over Danger Cove…from the intriguing cast of local characters to the places to eat, play, and explore in Danger Cove. Don’t let our name fool you—we’re the friendliest (even if deadliest) town in the Pacific Northwest!   (Goodreads)

One awkward billionaire.
One failed psychic.

A tale as old as time…

Lola Pink
He schedules everything. And I mean everything.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I took this job. I thought it would be simple—pretend to be Mr. Dane Clark’s personal assistant, find the missing blueprints, and get out of the Clark Castle for good. But, somehow this socially awkward, tech-genius billionaire has wormed his way into my heart.
And even if we survive this mess, I’m not sure I want to leave.

Dane Clark
How do I put this?
She’s…pink.
So very pink. Bright and sunny and peppy. I mean, she has at least one hundred and four pairs of sunglasses. Why? I’ve never seen a woman wear so many sunglasses before: red, pink, blue, green, glitter-encrusted. I don’t understand it.
As for her organizational skills? Abysmal. Her attention to detail? Non-existent. Her ability to frustrate me to no end? Spot on. I never should have hired her. Lola Pink does not fit into my schedule.
Nevertheless, she whirled into my life anyway; and she changed everything. Now I’m stuck trying to keep my company afloat and the two of us alive, while Lola turns my life all shades of pink.  (Amazon)

Toni Donovan is teaching a summer class at a community college in Springfield, Missouri. During a family reunion at Sequiota Park, her youngest son discovers a body in the lagoon, and then her colleague, John, recognizes the victim as a member of the summer graduate class he is taking. When the police question her child, who has a history of dreaming and finding things, Toni enlists the help of her youngest brother, who is a member of the local police force.

Further shock strikes when John is mugged and his flash drive taken. To protect her son, Toni must find out what, and who, is responsible for the death of the murdered coach. When her sleuthing uncovers the illegal operation behind the scenes, she is furious, and the question becomes whether she can control her anger and stop the coach’s killer before she becomes the one stopped—permanently.  (Amazon)

During an educational field day scavenger hunt, a trio of Toni Donovan’s high school science students discover some bones and a skull. When the boys’ curiosity, and a desire to assist their favorite teacher, inspires in them a dream of becoming detectives, they insert themselves into the investigation and set out to determine who killed the missing preacher.

Did the man run off with the town’s money? Or was a man of prayer preyed upon? Through the twists and turns of the case, fear becomes Toni’s companion—for her students, for her husband and sons, and for herself. Can she rescue her over eager students when they devise a plan of their own, go snooping, and end up in the clutches of the killer? Or will fear overcome her and make her—and possibly her students—the next victims?  (Amazon)

Inn owner Rachel Mast is no longer a devout member of the Amish community of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, but she still cares deeply for them. So she’s staying at her family’s farm to help her mother through an illness—and at the same time, trying to track down two missing people . . .

When the young gather to sing, it’s usually an evening of wholesome fun—but this time, the event has stirred whispers of scandal. Elsie Hostetler and her sweetheart, Dathan Bender, never came home afterward. There’s not even a trace of their horse and wagon, leading some to suspect that they’ve run off to marry and join the Englisch world.

But Rachel fears there’s more to the story than a rebellious elopement. Her fiancé, a state trooper, is out of town, so she starts investigating herself, using her Amish background to pry information from the tight-lipped community. It turns out things were not so peaceful between Elsie and Dathan—and there was also a confrontation at the singing with a short-tempered ex-Marine. Among the simple houses and quiet country roads of Stone Mill, Rachel must find out just what kind of sins have been committed—and who is need of forgiveness . . . (Goodreads)

Review of If Not For You

 

Synopsis:

An emotionally stirring novel that shows how obstacles can be overcome, differences can be strengths, and sometimes a choice can seem wrong even though it s absolutely right

If not for her loving but controlling parents, Beth Prudhomme might never have taken charge of her life and moved from her native Chicago to Portland, Oregon, where she s reconnected with her spirited Aunt Sunshine and found a job as a high school music teacher. If not for her friend Nichole, Beth would never have met Sam Carney, although first impressions have left Beth with serious doubts. Sam is everything Beth is not and her parents worst nightmare: a tattooed auto mechanic who s rough around the edges. Reserved and smart as a whip, Beth isn t exactly Sam s usual beer-drinking, pool-playing type of woman, either.

But if not for an awkward setup one evening, Beth might never have left early and been involved in a car crash. And if not for Sam who witnessed the terrifying ordeal, rushed to her aid, and stayed with her until help arrived Beth might have been all alone, or worse. Yet as events play out, Sam feels compelled to check on Beth almost daily at the hospital even bringing his guitar to play songs to lift her spirits. Soon their unlikely friendship evolves into an intense attraction that surprises them both.

Before long, Beth’s strong-willed mother, Ellie, blows into town spouting harsh opinions, especially about Sam, and reopening old wounds with Sunshine. When shocking secrets from Sam s past are revealed, Beth struggles to reconcile her feelings. But when Beth goes a step too far, she risks losing the man and the life she s come to love. (Goodreads)

Review:

I have read many books by this author and I have liked them all.  This is a feel good book and a book about love coming in mysterious ways.

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  Beth is strong willed, she had to be to break away from her mother.  She is making it on her own, but sometimes she gets lonely. Sam is a good guy, but a little rough around the edges.  But he has a big heart and has lots of love to give.  Will Beth and Sam be willing to take a chance and have a happily ever after?

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  She is very talented in her descriptive writing and she created scenes in my head that kept propelling me along to read more pages.  She took everyday people and gave them a unique love story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written women’s contemporary.  I am looking forward to reading the first two books in this series.  You can never go wrong reading a book by Debbie Macomber.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.  I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group–Ballentine for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Review of When The Grits Hit The Fan

 

When The Grits Hit The Fan

Country Store Mysteries, Book #3

Maddie Day

5 Stars

Synopsis:

Despite the bitter winter in South Lick, Indiana, business is still hot at Robbie Jordan’s restaurant. But when another murder rattles the small town, can Robbie defrost the motives of a cold-blooded killer?

Before she started hosting dinners for Indiana University’s Sociology Department at Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie never imagined scholarly meetings could be so hostile. It’s all due to Professor Charles Stilton, who seems to thrive on heated exchanges with his peers and underlings, and tensions flare one night after he disrespects Robbie’s friend, graduate student Lou. So when Robbie and Lou go snowshoeing the next morning and find the contentious academic frozen under ice, police suspect Lou might have killed him after their public tiff. To prove her friend’s innocence, Robbie is absorbing local gossip about Professor Stilton’s past and developing her own thesis on the homicide—even if that means stirring up terrible danger for herself along the way . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

Robbie is a smart, hardworking woman who knows what she wants and is willing to work to get it done.  Her restaurant is thriving and her love life is not doing too bad either.   But when someone is murdered and her friend is accused of killing him, she decides that she needs to find the killer.  So she adds sleuthing to her many jobs to accomplish.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The author is very talented in creating characters, settings and suspense with the written word.  I felt like I was right there in Salt Lick, Indiana, watching all the action take place and listening in on conversations.  I enjoyed the small town setting and the nosiness of neighbors, everyone getting into everybody else’s business.  The characters are well developed and well rounded.  I liked getting to spend more time with Robbie and her friends.

The mystery is carried on well throughout the entire book.  With so many suspects to consider, clues to sift through and red herrings thrown in, the mystery was not easy to solve.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery.   Do yourself a favor and grab this book (and the first two in the series), sit back and enjoy your reading.  And you will get some good recipes to try out too.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.  I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

 

Review of Raisin The Dead

 

Raisin The Dead

Bread & Batter Mystery, Book #2

Karoline Barrett

5 Stars

 

Synopsis:

The author of Bun for Your Life returns to Destiny, New York, where bakery owners and amateur sleuths Molly Tyler and Olivia Williams never crumble under pressure…

While the rest of Destiny is focused on the arrival of an upper crust perfume mogul, Molly is more concerned about what’s on the front page of the newspaper: her mother. Library director Anne Tyler was photographed at the most romantic restaurant in town having a cozy dinner with library advisory board member Philip Baldeli. But there’s more for Molly to worry about after Philip is found dead a few days later.

When Detective Sean Corsino zeroes in on Anne as a person of interest in the case, it turns down the heat on his budding romance with Molly. But after he’s injured during the course of his investigation, Molly and Olivia must step in to sift through the clues and clear Anne’s name. (Goodreads)

Review:

Molly and Olivia are best friends who share the dream of running a successful bakery. They are doing a good job of realizing that dream, until someone is murdered.  And when Molly’s mom becomes a person of interest, Molly has to devote her time trying to find the real killer and clear her mom’s name.

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  I enjoyed the relationship between Molly and Olivia, they are great friends and business partners.  Sean, Molly’s boyfriend and a detective, is a good guy, even if he did bring Molly’s mom in for questioning.  That made for a few awkward moments between Molly and Sean.  The co-workers for the bakery added a lot to the story and I enjoyed getting to know them better.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read.  The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there, in Destiny, watching all the action take place.  

The mystery was carried on well throughout the book.  There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through that I did not have it completely figured out until it was revealed at the end.  

I would recommend this book (and series) to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery.  I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.      

Author Spotlight–T. C. LoTempio

Today’s Author Spotlight is T. C. LoTempio, author of Purr M For Murder.  I read this book and thought it was really good.  In addition to that book, she has another cozy series, Nick and Nora Mysteries.   Learn a little bit about her and her great cozy mysteries.  Happy Reading!

 

About The Author

Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series.

She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade.

While Toni LoTempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper.

Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She lists among her favorite mystery/suspense writers Erle Stanley Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson, as well as EJ Copperman, Steve Hockensmith, Victoria Laurie, Ali Brandon, Rita Mae Brown, Miranda James and Sofie Kelly to name only a few!

Toni is also passionate about her love for animals, as demonstrated with her four cats: Trixie, Princess, Maxx and, of course, ROCCO, who not only provided the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but who also writes his own blog and does charity work for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read!

Toni’s also devoted to miniseries like The Thorn Birds, Dancing with the Stars, reruns of Murder She Wrote and Castle (of course!).

She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.

She, Rocco and company make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York  (Goodreads)

 

A Cat Rescue Mystery Series:

 

Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat–along with Littleton’s dead body.

Local homicide detective Will Worthington–who just happens to be Sydney’s old high school crush–is highly suspicious of the sisters’ involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton’s death–until the killer notices she’s pawing a little too closely at the truth.

Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more. (Goodreads)

 

My Review:

Purr M For Murder

A Cat Rescue Mystery, Book #1

1. C. LoTempio

5+ Stars
Synopsis:

Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat–along with Littleton’s dead body.

Local homicide detective Will Worthington–who just happens to be Sydney’s old high school crush–is highly suspicious of the sisters’ involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton’s death–until the killer notices she’s pawing a little too closely at the truth.

Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more. (Goodreads)

 

Review:

The characters are well developed, well rounded, and three dimensional.  Sydney loves her sister, Kat, and is willing to work very hard to help make Kat’s animal shelter a huge success.  And when a dead body is discovered and Kat is a person of interest, she is willing to do whatever it takes to clear Kat’s name.  She does not think twice about jumping into the investigation, trying to find the real killer.  Even if snooping puts her in harm’s way, she is determined to find the culprit before Kat is put behind bars.  She does have some help from her sister, from Will, one of the homicide detectives assigned to the case, (who happens to be an old crush from high school), and from the rescue cat that Sydney

has adopted, Toby.  Toby is the most helpful of all, and I personally think he is a mystical cat.  Although this is the first book in the series, I felt like I have known these characters for a long time.  I really enjoyed getting to spend time with all of them.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and eavesdropping on conversations.  She created a small town setting that seemed realistic and was a place I would like to visit.  The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book.  There were enough suspects to consider and enough clues and red herrings to make it hard to figure out the real killer.  

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  I found myself reading this book whenever I could and reading it well into the night, when I should have been sleeping.  But it was worth losing sleep over, it was that good.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery.  It has everything I look for in a cozy: great mystery, great small town setting, great characters and plenty of cats.  This is the first book that I have read by this author but I guarantee it will not be my last.  I cannot wait to read the next one in this series and I plan on reading her other series.  She is one of my new favorite authors.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.  I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

Nick and Nora Mystery Series:

First in a new series!

Nora Charles doesn’t believe in fate, even if she is a crime reporter who shares a name with a character from The Thin Man. In fact, she’s moving back to Cruz, California, to have a quieter life. But after finding an online magazine eager for material, and a stray cat named Nick with a talent for detection, Nora’s not just reporting crimes again. She’s uncovering them…

Back in her hometown, Nora reconnects with old friends and makes some new ones, like Nick, the charming feline who seems determined to be her cat. But not everything about Cruz is friendly. Writing for a local online magazine, Nora investigates the curious death of socialite Lola Grainger. Though it was deemed an accident, Nora suspects foul play. And it seems that her cat does too.

Apparently, Nick used to belong to a P.I. who disappeared while investigating Lola Grainger’s death. The coincidence is spooky, but not as spooky as the clues Nick spells out for her with Scrabble letters—clues that lead her down an increasingly dangerous path. Whether fate put her on this case or not, solving it will take all of Nora’s wits, and maybe a few of Nick’s nine lives.   (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

Sandwich shop owner Nora Charles continues her quest to find her cat Nick’s previous owner. But her investigation is put on hold when her sister, Lacey, is arrested for murder. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade. Luckily Nora still has a few sleuthing tricks up her sleeve. And Nick, whose previous owner was a Private Investigator, knows a thing or two about crime as well (he’s a dab paw at spelling out clues with scrabble letters). (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

 

Nick and Nora aren’t just pussyfooting around this time as they deal with a missing person’s case and murder.

While catering a gala for the Cruz Museum, Nora Charles agrees to look into the disappearance of director Violet Crenshaw’s niece, a case previously undertaken by her frisky feline friend Nick’s former owner, a private eye whose whereabouts are also currently unknown.

As Nora and her curious cat Nick pull at the string of clues, they begin to unravel a twisted tale of coded messages, theft, false identities, murder, and international espionage. Nora dares to hope that the labyrinth of leads will not only help them locate the missing young woman, but also solve the disappearance of the detective. That’s if Nora can stay alive long enough to find him…  (Amazon)

 
INCLUDES DELICIOUS SANDWICH RECIPES