A Killer Retreat by Tracy Weber is the second book in A Downward Dog Mystery series and I think it is a really good book. Both books in the series are great reads.
Kate Davidson is a yoga instructor and the owner of her own yoga studio. She is invited to a wedding at a resort and is also offered a job to teach yoga classes while she’s there. Kate, her boyfriend Michael and her dog Bella make the trip and are looking forward to a great time on their get-away. Her best friend Rene and her husband also join them eventually. What could go wrong when Kate is surrounded by all those she loves the best? Kate soon finds out what could go wrong when she meets a woman, Monica, who cannot control her dog and becomes a thorn in Kate’s side. Kate has a few very public run-ins with Monica and when Monica is found floating dead in a hot tub, Kate becomes the authorities number one suspect. Kate and her friends will have to find the real killer to clear her name and to make sure they do not become the next victim.
Solving the murder is not the only problem Kate must deal with. Although she knows she loves Michael, she is not sure she can take the next step in their relationship. She seems to be having trouble with the big C word-commitment. This vacation seems to be putting a strain on their relationship. And when her best friend, Rene, shows up at the resort, Kate can tell something is not right with her. Kate does not know if Rene is sick or what the problem is, but Kate knows things are off with her friend. Rene’s husband knows something is wrong too and asks Kate to find out what it is. And her beloved dog Bella has stomach problems and needs to eat her food prepared a certain way. When Kate forgets to add the ingredients that Bella needs, she worries that Bella may become deathly sick. That’s a lot for any one person to handle all at the same time, especially when said person is supposed to be on vacation.
The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. I found myself caring about what would happen to each of them and worrying when things were not going so well. They are people I would like to know in real life. I think one of the things I like best about this book is the humor. Kate is so witty and sarcastic and does things and thinks things that many of the readers would say and think. She just seemed so real to me and I wish that I could hang out with her for a while.
You can tell that the author knows a lot about yoga and also about dogs. I enjoyed reading about the yoga aspect, even though I am not a yoga person. I found some of the information very enlightening. And reading about the problems that Bella had was fascinating and added a lot to the story. I am impressed with how much the author knows about treating a dog with EPI and the special care that needs to be taken.
The plot is well crafted and well executed. The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book and, with so many suspects, it was hard to figure out who the killer was. The writing style flows easily and the book is an easy read. The writing is descriptive and at times I felt like I was right there watching the action unfold around me. I really enjoy when that happens.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. If you are an animal lover or you are in to yoga, this book is a must read. I have read both books in the series and have enjoyed them both. Treat yourself and pick up both Murder Strikes A Pose and A Killer Retreat to read. You will not be disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I honestly loved this book. I would like to thank NetGalley and Midnight Ink for the opportunity to read and review this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four USA Today bestselling authors team up to bring you your favorite female sleuths in a hilarious new mystery series!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After a murderous bachelorette party in Niagara Falls, Valentine, Merry, Kate, and Franki decide it’s time to relax and have some fun in the Big Easy. New Orleans turns out to be anything but easy when the killer foursome stumble across the body of a formerly famous, elderly Dolphin burlesque dancer. To make matters worse, NOLA’s finest arrest Kate’s husband Jim as the prime suspect!
The four sleuths jump into action to catch the killer in a race against time that takes them to the seedier side of the French Quarter where they tussle with strippers, mud wrestlers, and dubious all-you-can-eat crawfish buffets.
Between cranky Cajuns, mysterious Spanish dignitaries, and a bizarre running of the bulls, these four sleuths don’t have time to Let the Good Times Roll before Jim takes the fall for the Dolphin dancer’s murder!
Get reacquainted with:
Valentine Beaumont ~ Boston sleuth and gutsy beautician Kate Connolly ~ San Francisco part-time crime-solver and sleep-deprived new mom Merry Wrath ~ Iowa ex-CIA operative turned Girl Scout leader Franki Amato ~ New Orleans PI and victim of a serial-matchmaking Sicilian nonna
…and help them solve this crime! **This murder mystery series contains no profanity or graphic descriptions of sex or violence.** (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Who crept into Boris and Natasha Krimsky’s mini-mansion and murdered them while they slept? Could it be the cousins they brought over from Russia, who want more money from them? Or the physicist who claims he helped Boris with the ideas behind his multi-million-dollar patent?
It can’t be their resentful son, because he has an iron-clad alibi. Or does he? And how does a similar crime committed in Florida connect to the case?
Semi-reformed computer hacker Steve Levitan and his clue-sniffing golden retriever Rochester are on the case. With wit and canine antics, this team go nose to the ground to bring a killer to justice. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
Teaberry Cozy Murder Mysteries Book 5 An unexpected encounter sends Megan on a search for a killer recipe that will lead her down many trails. Although some prove fruitless, a fatal crash of another kind leaves her brother-in-law calling her the berries.
While Erica and Jerry hope to serve up just deserts, Megan whips up a method of her own for getting to the seed of the matter. A vintage obsession with a sprinkling of suspects is dished up as the final course.
Megan searches for puzzle pieces offered up by the friendly inhabitants of Teaberry in this light and cozy mystery. This mild cozy mystery series offers a clean read with a female amateur sleuth and friends in a small-town setting. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Old scores, pending labor and death!
Fee’s ready to pop, but that doesn’t keep her from the job when an old enemy comes back to Reading for a showdown. But when the source of threat ends up dead, can Fee figure out who did the deed before she’s arrested—baby bump and all—for murder? (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
When a baker is found murdered, her cousin must rise to the occasion…
Sarah Murray is moving back to her high desert hometown of Bishop, California after the end of her marriage. On the highway south of town, she finds a dog on the side of the road. Unable to leave the poor animal, she pulls over—and finds it guarding an unconscious woman lying in the sand.
Realizing that the woman in peril is her cousin, Melody Charters, Sarah calls for help. Unfortunately, she’s too late, and Melody dies before she can identify her attacker.
To make matters worse, the county sheriff deems Melody’s husband prime suspect number one. Knowing that he isn’t capable of such violence, Sarah sets off on a mission to get to the bottom of her cousin’s untimely demise. Along the way, she meets Melody’s brother-in-law, Jake, and Libby, the troubled young girl Melody hired on a few months prior.
As they—along with Melody’s trusty dog, Fido—follow a deadly trail of crumbs around town, Sarah must trust her instincts like never before…if she’s to ever sniff out the true murderer. (Amazon)
Feisty senior sleuth Isabel Puddles—Lake Michigan’s answer to Miss Marple—strikes out for new territory across the pond in a cozy mystery full of charm, rich storytelling, and mellow humor, sure to delight fans of Jessica Fletcher and Lee Hollis’s Poppy Harmon series.
Merry old England has a murderous surprise in store . . .
Isabel has crafted a life she loves in her Lake Michigan hometown, but she’s eager to use her golden years to make up for missed opportunities. That’s why she’s traveling to England for the first time to visit her pen pal, Teddy Mansfield, an acclaimed mystery writer who lives just outside the village of Mousehole, Cornwall. First impressions are charming—Isabel is staying in the guest cottage on the grounds of Teddy’s beautiful country manor, and Mousehole is home to an assortment of characters as colorful as any in Teddy’s books.
Teddy’s housekeeper, Tuppence, is a dab hand at baking—her scones are regularly runner-up in the village bake-off, and this year she’s determined to scoop top prize. But it appears that other, possibly more dangerous rivalries have been brewing in Mousehole. And when a resident is found pushing up daisies in a flowerbed, Isabel is drawn into an investigation that will require all of her newly honed skills to solve—and to survive . . .
Praise for Isabel Puddles Investigates
“A mellow mystery, down-home characters, and touches of humor add up to a very pleasant read.” –KirkusReviews
“A good fit for Murder, She Wrote fans.” —Publishers Weekly (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
Managing a fitness club café and collaborating on recipes with her grandfather are Val Deniston’s usual specialties, only she’s about to set sail into another murder case—this time at a mystery lovers convention!
When the Deadly Desserts bake-off lives up to its name, Val and Granddad turn up the heat on a killer . . .
The Maryland Mystery Fan Fest sounds like exactly the fun getaway cafe manager Val Deniston and her grandfather could use. Granddad will even compete in a dessert competition in which contestants assume the roles of cooks to famous fictional sleuths. Playing Nero Wolfe’s gourmet cook Fritz is an exciting challenge for Granddad. A restaurant manager is playing Lord Peter Wimsey’s valet and cook Bunter. But Granddad is steamed to learn who will be playing Sherlock Holmes’s landlady, Mrs. Hudson—his nemesis Cynthia Sweet, who he believes ripped off his five-ingredient theme from his column “Codger Cook” to use in her own recipe column.
Apparently, he isn’t the only one who has a beef with his not-so-sweet competitor. When she’s found dead in her room with the teakettle whistling, it’s up to Val and her grandfather to sort through the festival goers to find out who was most definitely not a fan of Cynthia Sweet . . .
Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes!
PRAISE FOR CRYPT SUZETTE
“Grandad is a hoot and his jobs as a food reviewer and part-time detective provide endless possibilities for fun and murder . . . Charming.” —Kirkus Reviews (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
In the new installment from veteran Hollywood screenwriter Lee Hollis, friends, moms, and P.I. partners Maya and Sandra have left their hometown of Portland, Maine, on a school trip to Washington, D.C.—where a killer has just added murder to the itinerary. . .
Drafted as chaperones, Maya Kendrick and PTA president Sandra Wallage are accompanying the SoPo High seniors to the nation’s capital—much to the embarrassment of Maya’s daughter Vanessa and Sandra’s son Ryan. Now both moms are about to find out which is harder—shepherding unruly high schoolers or solving a murder. The last sight they expected to see on this trip is a female intern who works for Sandra’s soon-to-be-ex-husband, Senator Stephen Wallage, in a fatally compromising position.
Desperate to avoid scandal, Stephen begs Maya and Sandra to solve the case. But their FBI counterparts—tough-as-nails agents Markey and Rhodes—are far less enthusiastic about the meddling of two “amateurs.” With suspects ranging from senators to students to stalkers, Maya and Sandra must follow a twisty trail of clues so they can catch a killer and survive to make the return trip . . . (Amazon)
Available: Kindle, Paperback
It’s a lot of work running a café, but Cammy Reed loves being back in her small hometown of Manitou River, Michigan. With quirky regulars, witty young employees, and even an interesting newcomer visiting every day, Cammy settles into her new role as coffee shop owner. Right up to the moment death shatters her nostalgia for small town life.
The neighboring librarian’s death leaves Cammy rattled, but nothing really points to murder. Except for his erratic behavior. And the cast of colorful characters that were going in and out of his library at all hours. And the high level of interest that influential townspeople have in insisting that there was no murder. Her suspicions are given a voice by her ‘interesting newcomer,’ a (cute!) research writer named William Sims who insists that something sinister has been afoot!
The pair navigates a cast of strange and possibly deadly characters including a local new age circle, the tightly wound Boosters Club, a melodramatic murder theater troupe, and an infamous local murderer. Cammy and William enjoy their time together but by playing amateur sleuths, are they blind to the fact the killer might already have Cammy in their sights?! (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
In the latest in the popular series from Sarah Fox, author of the USA Today bestselling Pancake House Mystery Series, a food festival brings new customers to Sadie Coleman’s literary-themed pub in a quaint Vermont town—but it also brings murder to her door. With a book and culinary theme and a charming small-town setting, the Literary Pub Mystery series will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries by such authors as Jenn McKinlay and Eva Gates
In the picturesque New England town of Shady Creek, Vermont, fall is in full swing, and Sadie Coleman, owner of the literary-themed Inkwell pub, is serving up delicious food and drinks—with a side of sleuthing . . .
Autumn brings a wonderland of color and atmosphere to Vermont. As the last leaves fall from the trees, the town is gearing up for a new festival: A Taste of Shady Creek. Pub proprietor Sadie Coleman is looking forward to visitors coming to sample her literary-themed cocktails. She’s a little more wary about her mother’s impending first visit. What if her mom doesn’t like Sadie’s adopted town—or her new boyfriend, Grayson Blake?
Those concerns are overshadowed when a food critic is found dead at Grayson’s craft brewery, pinned under a barrel. Curiouser and curiouser—the victim is linked to Grayson’s past as a private investigator, and all the evidence points to him as the killer. While Grayson lays low, Sadie starts some investigating of her own, diving down a rabbit hole of suspects. Was it a bad review that made the killer mad as a hatter? Or are there other motives at play?
In between serving Kiss of the Cider Woman cocktails and book-minded bites to festival goers, Sadie is striving to clear Grayson’s name. But it’ll take more than a dash of ingenuity to prevent the festival from fizzing out completely—and stop a killer from downing another innocent life . . . (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover
From the USA Today bestselling author of the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mysteries comes the first in a new series featuring an intuitive gemologist and owner of a New Age tea and crystals shop in beautiful coastal California’s Monterey Peninsula.
“Appealing characters, surprising twists, a bit of magic, and the promise of romance. Lovers of paranormal cozies are sure to get on board.” – Publishers Weekly
Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.
Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . .
With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s so-called accidental death, Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
It’s the week before Christmas 1986, and Milltown Mall is THE place to be in Wahoo Beach. From Teddy Ruxpin and Cabbage Patch Kids to the Show Your Face modeling competition, everyone is on the prowl for something. When a model is found murdered before the competition even begins, Tiffany, Dylan, and the gang must find out what at the mall might be worth killing for. Bag Your Face is book 5 in the Major Bummer Murders series. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
A Valkyrie with Haphazard Magic
A Fallen Angel Seeking Redemption
An Unlikely Crime-Solving Duo
Kara is going on her first undercover assignment for the Paranormal Apprehension and Detention Agency, and she couldn’t be more excited. That is until she discovered not only was it a couples retreat, but the location was at the top of a snowy mountain! Yeti shifter, Milo Iceman, and his witchy wife, Rozalind, are eager to discover who’s killing off guests at their wonderland resort. Posing as a struggling married couple, Zane and Kara must surreptitiously question possible suspects…all while participating in the retreat’s quirky marriage-bonding activities. In between axe throwing and magical obstacle course runs, Zane and Kara team up to track down the killer. Can the two paranormal detectives work together to solve this case? Or will they end up clueless and frozen in their tracks? (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle,Paperback
Christmas in Hawaii is all surfing Santa Claus, palm trees strung up with lights and… murder?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year on Maui, although not so much for one of Zoe’s patients. Zoe is convinced the woman was murdered, despite her death being ruled accidental, but the police won’t listen to her so she goes to Charlie for help. The two of them, along with Dot and Rosie, set out to get justice for Zoe’s patient.
But what initially looks like it might be a simple case quickly becomes complicated, and Charlie finds herself in more danger than cookies left out on Christmas Eve. Oh, and is that Jake standing under the mistletoe?
All Charlie wants for Christmas is to catch a murderer. That’s not too much for a girl to ask for, is it? (Amazon)
Rising cozy mystery author Winnie Archer cooks up her latest installment in her delightful and delicious Bread Shop Mystery series.
Photographer Ivy Culpepper is soon to make a home with her husband-to-be in the California beach town of Santa Sofia—but the Yeast of Eden bakery remains her second home. It’s not just a place to work, but a community. And now one member of the community has been murdered . . .
A regular who used Yeast of Eden as a workspace, Josh Prentiss always turned heads with his startlingly good looks and thousand-watt smile. But Ivy can’t help noticing one morning that he seems distracted and off his game. Later, during a visit to the park where she and Miguel plan to hold their engagement party—with plenty of baked goods on the menu—her rescue pug, Agatha, sniffs out Josh lying in a bed of poppies…scone cold dead.
There’s no reason for Ivy to get involved. She’s busy enough holding down the fort as the shop’s owner, Olaya, cares for her recently orphaned niece, not to mention the stress when a new employee is fired and storms out in a rage. Then a band of rabble-rousers starts picketing the bakery, claiming that Olaya’s sourdough roll is what killed Josh—and Ivy hears some salacious gossip about her beloved boss. She doesn’t think there’s a grain of truth to the seedy rumors—but to prove it, she’ll have to start sleuthing . . .(Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
“In ‘Keystone Kops’–style scenes set around the morgue, a muddy mountain, and the hardware store, bones and books disappear and reappear…[On Spine of Death] is a quirky story for those who enjoy funny cozies.”—Library Journal
Bestselling author Tess Harrow and her teenage daughter Gertrude have decided to make Winthrop their home. Their cabin is fixed up and now they’re turning to the family hardware store that Tess inherited from her late grandfather into the town’s first independent bookstore.
But when renovations unearth bones from a cold case and send them toppling—literally—onto Tess’s head, the work comes to a grinding halt. With the whole town convinced that her grandfather was a serial killer, Tess has to call in a fellow horror author for reinforcements. Together, they’ll come up with a perfect story to make all the clues fit…and solve a mystery more than thirty years in the making. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns in the eighteenth book in #1 New York Times bestseller Louise Penny’s beloved series.
It’s spring and Three Pines is reemerging after the harsh winter. But not everything buried should come alive again. Not everything lying dormant should reemerge.
But something has.
As the villagers prepare for a special celebration, Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir find themselves increasingly worried. A young man and woman have reappeared in the Sûreté du Québec investigators’ lives after many years. The two were young children when their troubled mother was murdered, leaving them damaged, shattered. Now they’ve arrived in the village of Three Pines.
But to what end?
Gamache and Beauvoir’s memories of that tragic case, the one that first brought them together, come rushing back. Did their mother’s murder hurt them beyond repair? Have those terrible wounds, buried for decades, festered and are now about to erupt?
As Chief Inspector Gamache works to uncover answers, his alarm grows when a letter written by a long dead stone mason is discovered. In it the man describes his terror when bricking up an attic room somewhere in the village. Every word of the 160-year-old letter is filled with dread. When the room is found, the villagers decide to open it up.
As the bricks are removed, Gamache, Beauvoir and the villagers discover a world of curiosities. But the head of homicide soon realizes there’s more in that room than meets the eye. There are puzzles within puzzles, and hidden messages warning of mayhem and revenge.
In unsealing that room, an old enemy is released into their world. Into their lives. And into the very heart of Armand Gamache’s home. (Amazon)
Freelance writer and long‑time Ben & Jerry’s addict Jaine Austen uncovers murderers on the mean streets of Beverly Hills, with a little help from her snarky cat, Prozac, in this witty mystery series from acclaimed TV comedy writer and novelist Laura Levine—a lighthearted treat for cat cozy fans and readers of Joanne Fluke, Miranda James, and Laura Childs.
The Bewitched knockoff I Married a Zombie may have flopped in its day, but it’s got a devoted cult following. Jaine is delighted when one of those rabid fans hires her as script doctor for his new play based on the show—until she reads the awful script and meets Misty, the actress who’ll be playing Cryptessa’s role. Misty has Audrey Hepburn’s doe eyes but not a smidgen of her ability. Yet she can certainly act the diva, demanding a special smoothie every day at 3pm. Meanwhile, Jaine is grappling with another spoiled female—her uncooperative cat, Prozac, who’s refusing to be wrangled into a kitty harness for outside walks.
When someone spikes Misty’s signature drink with a fatal shot of rat poison, the cast of suspects extends far beyond the theater. What Misty lacked in talent she made up for in enemies. Everyone Jaine talks to maintains their innocence, but one of them is clearly only playing the part. And it’s up to Jaine to figure out who, before a killer schedules an encore performance . . . (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover
When human remains turn up in Cate’s garden, she’s itching to solve the crime. But this time she’ll face more than just a murderer.
Fresh off her illuminating time travel trip to the late 1700s, Cate is in desperate need of downtime. But when her dogs dig up a skeleton in her garden and rumors begin to fly, Cate’s determined to unearth the truth.
When the investigation takes her to 1942, smack in the middle of the second World War, Cate’s tension mounts. With a murderer prowling the grounds of Dunhaven Castle, she’s certain sinister secrets fill every shadow and danger lurks in every dark corner. Facing a new enemy who threatens all she holds dear, along with a curious ailment, is it curtains for Cate?
Can she solve the mystery of the body in her garden? And if she does, what will it cost her?
If you love cozy mysteries with a unique twist and a touch of fantasy, you’ll love book 5 in the Cate Kensie Mysteries.
Scroll up and buy your copy today! (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback
Irish whiskey, rolling green hills, a traditional Christmas feast and… a murder? Lady Swift will need the luck of the Irish to survive this holiday season!
Christmas, 1923. Lady Eleanor Swift has received a rather unexpected invitation to the village Christmas party in the tiny, rural hamlet of Derrydee in the west of Ireland. Eleanor is thrilled about exploring her ancestral roots at her late uncle’s estate and spending the festive season in a castle. Packing Gladstone the bulldog’s coziest Christmas jumper, they set off to the Emerald Isle with her butler Clifford in tow.
Arriving late at night, Eleanor and Clifford are shocked when they find a body sprawled in the snow on the winding country lane outside the estate. The local constable is immediately suspicious and all but accuses the pair of murder. This isn’t the warm Irish welcome Eleanor imagined!
Clifford is certain he recognises the poor fellow from the funeral of Eleanor’s uncle – but what was their connection? Undeterred by the villagers’ lack of gossip on the matter, Eleanor is determined to get justice for the victim. The man’s pockets are suspiciously empty of personal effects, but closer inspection reveals an old key hidden in the heel of his boot. Could this unlock more than one mystery for Eleanor?
But when a fire breaks out at the castle on Christmas Eve, an even bigger question looms: is someone out to ensure the family line dies with Lady Swift? And will Eleanor’s first Irish Christmas be her last?
An utterly addictive festive whodunnit set in Ireland, brimming with mystery, intrigue and wit. Sure to delight fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Rhys Bowen.
Readers adore Verity Bright!
‘I am hooked! This is the best book, bar none, that I have read this year… An extremely witty, fast-paced mystery… I love the heroine, intrepid adventuress… A most enjoyable read!’ Reviews by Carol in Tallahassee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Can I give it six stars please?… Pretty much perfect… Bright has the amazing gift of bringing the reader into that world where the characters are alive.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘What a wild ride it is!… Gripping… This book is what would happen if Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie had a baby. Fun, fast-paced read with lots of charm!’ The Literary Wife
‘I was literally on the edge of my seat until the last page trying to figure out the mystery. It’s an adorable, captivating book.’ Washington Life Magazine
‘OMG! What an incredible read!… When I devour a book this quickly it only means one thing: I was so enraptured that I couldn’t put it down!’ Celebrating Authors ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘A fabulous cosy read!… I absolutely adored this book!… If you are a fan of Poirot, Miss Marple and Downton Abbey then this book is definitely for you… Kept me guessing right up to the very end.’ @my_reading_narnia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A sparkling heroine and perfect partner-in-crime… Every bit as compelling a couple as Bertie Wooster and Jeeves and the series is both entertaining and eminently readable… Perfect. An added bonus is the delightful dog Gladstone who is indolent, gluttonous and totally adorable.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘I am head over heels for Lady Swift and her investigative adventures. This book is perfect for Sunday afternoon reading to escape into a fabulously written English mystery story. Cannot wait for more Lady Swift.’ Sarah in Readerland ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
When Hannah agreed to cover a story for her best friend, she never knew what kind of trouble would be waiting for her. Sure, an invite to a posh mountain home and the chance to hob-knob with celebrities seemed exciting on the surface, but there’s something murderous lurking underneath.
Join Razzy Cat, Hannah, and the gang as they race to find a murderer. If they’re not careful, this case could be their last! (Amazan)
Editions Available: Kindle
November 1911. Lady Emily Hardcastle is celebrating her birthday by seeing a play at the Duke’s Theatre in Bristol with her maid and confidante, the inimitable Flo. Act One is a triumph. Then Act Two opens with a body on stage—a real one. One of the cast has been brutally murdered during the interval.
When other matters get in the way of Inspector Sunderland overseeing the case himself, he asks the ever-resourceful Lady H to keep a watchful eye on the suspects—and his police colleagues. Rustling up some cunning disguises of their own, she and Flo are soon in deep cover among the cast and crew, pulling back the curtain on some shocking secrets and rivalries…
The problem is, everyone seems to have a motive, and everyone seems to have an alibi…In this locked-room mystery in which nothing is as it seems, the amateur sleuths need to put on the performances of their lives if they’re to stand a chance of shining a spotlight on the truth…(Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
Waitress-by-day Buggy Watson is this close to closing her last cold case at the Slippery Spoon detective agency. She just needs a clue about gentleman-gangster Macky Law, which she can pick up while solving a petnapping too.
But when murder hits close to home, threatening her work and family in a single sitting, Buggy has more on her plate than she can handle.
With the police not dishing out justice, Buggy has no choice but to dig in and find the killer before it’s too late.
This clean read is book one of The Slippery Spoon Mysteries. Enjoy it as a standalone or read in series order for more twists than a country lane and a cast of cosy characters you’ll be right at home with.
THE SLIPPERY SPOON MYSTERIES Take the Rough with the Smoothie (Book #0 – prequel novella) From Bad to Wurst (Book #1) (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
A puzzling fire. A purloined keepsake. Can our psychic sleuth uncover the connection before it’s ashes to ashes?
Mitzy Moon adores the Winter Extravaganza. In fact, she’s so eager to sip mulled cider this year, she’s volunteered to help with set-up. But when a mysterious blaze destroys the curling arena, her holiday treats could be the next thing to go up in flames.
With the whole town acting odd and visions of a snow princess dancing in her head, Mitzy risks her own safety to pursue the truth. She ignores ominous warnings from the sheriff, Ghost-ma and her entitled feline, and may have leaped out of the frying pan and into an inferno…
Can Mitzy’s snooping reveal what history has hidden, or will this Yuletide be her last?
Vandals and Yule Scandals is the twenty-first book in the hilarious Mitzy Moon Mysteries paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like snarky heroines, supernatural intrigue, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s Christmas caper.
Buy Vandals and Yule Scandals to pinch a pyro today! (Amazon)
Murder Strikes A Pose was a really good read. Although I really am not familiar with yoga, that didn’t matter. I learned some things about yoga but that was really only part of the story. The mystery was carried on throughout the whole story and I wasn’t sure who the murderer was until it was revealed at the end. The characters were well developed and you couldn’t help but fall in love with Bella. There was mystery, humor and romance, what a great combination. The writing flowed easily and the editing was top notch. I would certainly recommend this book to all cozy lovers. I can’t wait for the next in the series (there better be another in the series) so treat yourself to a great read.
BOOK TWO in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!
Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.
Black Friday turns fatal when an armored security truck hits an icy patch and runs over an embankment near the cafe. With one driver dead and the other in a coma, police are baffled by the discovery that $500,000 is missing from the truck’s cache.
When strangers show up at Barks & Beans asking nosy questions about a young cafe employee, Macy’s mama bear instincts kick in. She can’t ignore what her gut is telling her—that things aren’t all they seem on the surface—and with a little help from her brother, Bo, and her Great Dane, Coal, Macy follows up on a few leads of her own. But if the ruthless thief beats her to the stash, the thin ice she’s been skating on might just crack.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Macy and Bo get along really well and they will do anything for each other. Macy likes to help her friends out and she will need to do just that when a security truck has an accident and it gets robbed. With the help of her brother and dog, Coal, she will do what she can to solve the mystery and prove someone’s innocence.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and it made a clear picture in my mind’s eye. I could picture the coffee shop and all of the activity with the animals. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved, which is how I like my mysteries.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait to read book three.
On Her Father’s Grave by Kendra Elliot is a great start to the Rogue River series. Kendra is writing two of the four books and Melinda Leigh is writing the other two. On Her Father’s Grave is an excellent start to the series. I do not know why some books just connect with a reader and you cannot read enough of the book, I just know that this was one of those books for me. I could not read it fast enough or enjoyed it more.
Stevie Taylor returns to Solitude, Oregon, after her father’s death. She realizes how much she has missed being around her family and her hometown. She is hired as a patrol officer in the department where her father was the chief. He has been replaced by Zane Duncan, who is not from Solitude. But he is well liked by Stevie’s family and her deceased father felt like Zane was one of his sons. Will Stevie and Zane be able to work together or will Stevie dislike Zane for trying to replace her father?
The two of them must work together to solve the mystery of why a teenager dies of no apparent cause. There is an unknown substance found in the dead teenager’s system. When another teenager dies under similar circumstances with the same substance found, Stevie and Zane are afraid there is a big drug problem facing them. They need to find out what the new drug is and who is supplying it to the teenagers, before any other teens die.
The hometown setting and the family closeness make this book an exceptional read. The characters are well developed and well rounded. They are likable and people you would like to have as a friend. There is a relationship beginning to build between Stevie and Zane and I cannot wait to see where it leads. Some of the family members are behaving oddly and I want to find out the reason behind it.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I was hooked from the first page, wanting to learn more about each of the characters. The mystery of how the teen died and who the drug supplier is was carried on until the end. Since this is the first in a four book novella series, these questions, and others are not yet answered but there is a good foundation for the rest of the books. My only complaint about the books is that it is a novella. I wanted this book to be a full length novel because it was so good. I knew before I read this that it was a novella, but I wanted more to read right now. But I will definitely read the other three novellas when they are released. I have read other books from Kendra Elliot and I loved them all. This book is a great read and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well crafted mystery.
In the eighth in the New York Times bestselling series by the author of Dark Chocolate Demise, the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew goes double or nothing in Vegas…
Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are taking a gamble by opening their first franchise of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery, so where better to hit the jackpot than in Vegas? Business manager Tate Harper has lined up a meeting with Holly Hartzmark, a former showgirl who’s looking to bring Mel and Angie’s sweet treats to Sin City, but Mel isn’t so sure she’s ready to hand her recipes over to a complete stranger—especially one as brash as Holly.
But after the potential bakery location gets blown up, Mel begins seeing another side to Holly—one that reminds her very much of herself. Determined to help a kindred spirit, Mel sets out to discover who is trying to keep the bakery from cashing in. But with a murderous mischief maker on the loose, the odds are stacking up against a happy ending for Mel and her friends…(Amazon)
Review:
Mel, Angie and Tate have gone to Las Vegas to start franchising their Fairy Tale Cupcake business. But before they really get started the site they picked has a bomb go off. After a few more catastrophes happen and a body is found they have another mystery to solve. They better buckle down and solve this mystery.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing writing and it allowed me to see in my mind’s eye all the destruction that was
happening at the franchise site. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery is well plotted and not easily solved.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Once you start reading you will not want to put the book down.
It’s no secret that Kevin and Maria are rival food truck owners and chefs. When Maria is shot and killed, the prime suspect is Kevin. It’s up to Abi, Pat, and Shirley to find out who really pulled the trigger and why. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
For Eliza Crumb and her trusty beagle Mr. Tumnus, the past few months have been smooth sailing. But a storm breaks over their settled life when a hurricane washes the mayor’s body ashore, and one of Eliza’s best friends becomes the top suspect in his death.
As if the seas weren’t rough enough, the victim’s even more obnoxious brother blows into town, asking questions and demanding satisfaction. He seems more interested in revenge than justice, and he’s not particularly picky about where he gets it.
To protect her friends and her home, Eliza will have to risk everything to bait a killer … or sleep with the fishes. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ODD COUPLE and THE GOLDEN GIRLS MIX IT UP? MEET MADDIE AND MAGGIE!
Christian author VJ Dunn brings you two well-seasoned ladies who couldn’t be any different if they’d come from opposing planets. The stories are full of fun, friendship, faith and just a smidge of fear!
Crown Hill breathes a sigh of relief once the Fishhook Killer is captured. But when yet another body is found and the police fail to find the murderer, will Maddie and Maggie be able to solve the crime?
Joining the ladies is Robert, Maddie’s long-time friend and newly commissioned boyfriend… or is that manfriend? (Maddie secretly calls him her “old man”), along with trusty dog Wally Wonka and even the feisty feline Samuel Adams, as they wade through a murky puddle of clues that all seem to point to one very surprising suspect…
While Maddie relies on logic to work on solving the crime, Maggie uses her southern charm to wile information out of everyone who walks into her new bakery, gathering intel faster than a fall squirrel collecting nuts. Add in Robert’s police connections to the mix and they have a recipe for a great “whodonut!” (Doughnut, get it? Huh?)
Bad dad jokes aside, things don’t go exactly as planned when they decide to confront their prime suspect but discover that crime-solving isn’t as easy as pie after all.
And sometimes it can be downright sticky.
Join Maddie and Maggie as they stumble their way through yet another investigation in The Church Lady Mysteries! Missteps, misdirection and misleading abound, but with Maddie’s muleheaded stubbornness—and Maggie’s southern charm—will the ladies find their investigative mojo and stop the killer? (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Georgiana’s out of the clink, but is she out of trouble?
It’s 1928, and fresh from prison, Mrs Mortimer arrives at her uncle’s ancestral home in the Cotswolds, just in time for the Godfrey Ball, but if she thought her life was about to become any less worrisome, she was wrong. The party turns ugly when one of the guests dies – and an unusual manuscript goes missing.
The dead man’s family is decidedly odd – and under suspicion, but is Aunt Sheba’s fan club as innocent as it seems? Is Bettina’s book a blessing or a curse? And will the herb garden survive?
In a village full of secrets, Georgiana and her faithful dog Crumpet, are compelled to investigate. (Besides which, they have nothing better to do…)A rip-roaring 1920s whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey. This is the second book in the Mrs Mortimer Mystery series, although it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story in its own right. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Put your wellington boots on for this eighth book in the popular Baker’s Rise series! Village life has never been cosier – or more deadly!
As the residents of Baker’s Rise congregate up at the Houghton’s farm for the first ever Autumn Festival, it seems the forecast is not looking good – in more ways than one!
With tears and tantrums, and a few unexpected altercations to further muddy the waters, storm clouds are clearly gathering on the horizon before the event has even begun.
It’s not only the weather that’s not playing fair, however.
At least the discovery of a dead body fits the Halloween theme – after all, what’s scarier than a corpse? It does put rather a dark cloud over proceedings though.
Packed with twists and turns, colourful characters and a lovely farmyard smell (only joking!), this new mystery will certainly leave you hungry for more!
Includes a recipe for a delicious Jam Marble Cake.
Note from the author: Since the same quirky cast of characters feature in each instalment of the Baker’s Rise Mysteries, the books are best enjoyed when read in order! (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Three cookies, two baking contestants, and one midnight murder… Whodunit?
Ruby and Bee, bakery owners with a background in sleuthing, are ecstatic when they’re asked to judge a local baking contest. Especially when they find out their pet cat, Cookie, can come along. Mystery, Maine, their new small town, has kept them busy serving cookies, meeting people, and even solving a murder.
Judging a contest is far more relaxing than competing in one.
At least, that’s what they think until two local bakers turn up dead on the morning of the event. And the local police are convinced it was a freak accident rather than a crime.
Ruby and Bee know what they have to do—solve the murder mystery, keep the town safe, and avoid the attentions of the town detective.The bakers must figure out whodunit and protect their home town. Find out if they can solve the mystery in the second book of the Bee’s Bakery Cozy Mystery series from USA Today bestseller, Rosie A. Point.Grab your copy today! (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Take a trip to Compass Cove, an enchanted town full of magic and mayhem…
Things are heating up in Compass Cove, there’s a serial arsonist on the loose and it seems their targets aren’t random. A new crime scene appears with a message for the Wick family: You’re next.
As luck has it there’s more than one frying pan for Zora to hop out of this time. The neighboring mining town of Siskapon is facing paranormal problems of its own. Three people have been reported missing but when Zora and Hudson go to check it out there’s one slight issue—none of the town residents seem to recall the missing people ever living there.
Things only get stranger when Zora gets a free minute to remember that her familiar, Hermes, was recently revealed to be a world-renowned jewel thief. He’s on the run and Magical Crimes Investigation are turning the world upside down to try and find him. A swat team of magical agents in your apartment while you read the morning paper? Just another Monday for Zora.
That’s probably enough in itself to keep Zora’s head spinning, but her adopted teenage daughter has just started high school and keeping adolescent emotions in check might just be the toughest nut to crack out of all of them.
Will Zora survive to see Christmas? Only time will tell. (Amazon)
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