Cozy Mystery Book Review ~ Dead Man's Hand (Victoria Square Mystery, Book #8) by Lorraine Bartlett & Gayle Leeson @LorraineBartlet @GayleTrent

 

Katie’s been dealt the Dead Man’s Hand …

It’s all fun and games when Katie Bonner and her friends play poker for chocolate-covered peanuts, but the very next day Jamie Seifert collapses and dies after visiting Katie’s tearoom on Victoria Square.

Katie’s business in on the line and she needs to prove Jamie wasn’t poisoned at Tealicious. Her first order of business is to locate the mysterious woman he was dining with, and her next step is to go undercover at a nearby poker club where Jamie won big just a week before. It seems everyone there might have had a motive to rub Jamie out...and if they learn Katie has been lying to them, she might be next!

Amazon https://amzn.to/35AhTxL
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56220253-dead-man-s-hand

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B08NW5DJHW
Publisher: ‎ Polaris Press (February 5, 2021)
Publication Date: ‎ February 5, 2021
Print Length: ‎ 298 pages

My Review:

A death of a patron shortly after leaving Katie's teashop, Tealicious, is not good for business. The death of a friend is even worse than how it affects her shop. In order to salvage her teashop's reputation and prove her friend Jamie's death wasn't related to anything he ate or drank, Katie must put on her sleuthing cap and figure who wanted Jamie dead and why. This takes Katie and Ray into a poker den looking for clues.

Katie is a likable character. She is very invested in her town, her business adventures, and the people she loves. When her friends are in trouble she is the first to volunteer to help fix the problem. In most cases, Katie is a very strong character. She has proven she can manage businesses, be chair of the Merchant Association, and aid in murder investigations (even though the local police department wishes she would refrain on the aid part). She is also not flawless. Her imperfections make her human and relatable. I enjoy all of the secondary characters and the way the author portrays them. Each person is vital to Katie's successes, whether professionally or personally.

I purchased my review copy from Amazon.

My Rating:

Book #Review ~ Jackets, Jack-O-Lantern, & Justice (Camper & Criminals, Book #22) by Tonya Kappes #TonyaKappes @tonyakappes11

 

Let me be the first person to welcome you to Normal, Kentucky located in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest. I'm Mae West the owner of Happy Trails Campground.

Fall at the campground is my favorite time of the year. The bursts of orange, yellow, green, and red pop on the falling leaves, creating a colorful path along the trails for all of my guests at my campground is a real life picture that could never be captured by a camera.

Days are warm and at night you need a light sweater to enjoy the campfire or snuggle up in a cozy blanket. The campground is full and the campers are excited to participate in Normal's annual Pumpkin Carving Carnival.

It's a little spooky seeing the hundreds jack-o-lantern faces all light up with toothless or toothy smiles.

It's the dead body among them that chills me to the bone.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58194659-jackets-jack-o-lantern-justice

Amazon https://amzn.to/3nkiSdG

ASIN: ‎ B0965KHXMW
Publisher: ‎ Tonya Kappes Books (October 21, 2021)
Publication Date: ‎ October 21, 2021
Print Length: ‎ 155 pages

My Review:

It's Halloween time in Normal, Kentucky. The campground is all decked out in spooky decorations. Mae has organized a pumpkin carving contest for all the guests in her campground. In the middle of the festivities, Mae finally confronts Hank about his abrupt return to Happy Trails, his new appearance, and the change in campers. He's trying to stay under the radar while unofficially working on a case. The case involves his sister, Ellis. Mae reluctantly agrees to help, all in the name of helping Hank out, even if it means avoiding an out-of-town Ranger intent on finding Hank.

The author introduced potential suspects, providing the reader with means, motive, and opportunities for each. Some of the suspects were much stronger than others and it took some deep thinking to get to the bottom of the murder. There were twists and turns that had me going in one direction only to have the mystery shift. The author did a great job building up the suspense until the reveal of the murderer and motive. As Mae unraveled the murder, shocking events are revealed, suspects are added and removed from the list, and danger abounds.

As with the rest of the books in the series, the mystery isn't the only thing going on in Normal, Kentucky. Tonya Kappes did a terrific job of weaving everything together between Hank's return, the murder, and the side stories. The characters are wonderfully crafted, realistically written, and I feel like I'm coming home to Normal with every book in the series I read.

I was provided a copy of the book to read.

My Review:

Audiobook Review ~ One for the Books (Library Lover's Mystery, Book #11) by Jenn McKinlay @JennMcKinlay @Dreamscapeaudio

 

About the Book:

Wedding bells are ringing in the latest page-turning Library Lover's Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Word to the Wise.

Love is in the air in Briar Creek as library director Lindsey Norris and boat captain Mike (Sully) Sullivan are finally tying the knot. The entire town is excited for the happy day, and Lindsey and Sully's plan for a small wedding evaporates as more and more people insist upon attending the event of the year.

When Lindsey and her crafternoon pals head out to Bell Island to see if it can accommodate the ever-expanding guest list, they are horrified to discover a body washed up on the rocky shore. Even worse, Lindsey recognizes the man as the justice of the peace who was supposed to officiate her wedding ceremony. When it becomes clear he was murdered, Lindsey can't help but wonder if it had to do with the wedding. Now she has to book it to solve the mystery before it ends her happily ever after before it's even begun....

Publication Date : September 1, 2020
Print Length : 300 pages
Publisher : Berkley 
ASIN : B082H2D2LP
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/33kmjIt

Audiobook ISBN: 9781662013232

Duration: 7 Hours, 28 Minutes

Audible Link: https://amzn.to/3atbFCg

My Review:

It's almost time for Lindsey and Sully's wedding. The whole town of Briar Creek is as excited as the happy couple. This is going to be the wedding of the century except the size continues to grow. When Lindsey realizes she gave the incorrect guest list to the stationer, she and Sully must go out to the location of the nuptials and make sure it can accommodate the increase in guests. What they weren't expecting to find is the body of the man slated to perform the wedding ceremony. 

One for the Books is another great book in the series. I enjoyed the book so much I devoured it as fast as I could. Every character is great. I found myself able to connect with Lindsey and Beth, not because they are similar to me or we've been down the same roads, but because they are fun, interesting, and nice. I love the author's writing style, the pacing was good, and the story compelling. The continual character development allows for me to get to know Lindsey, Beth, Sully, and everyone else. The author created a wonderful town, with wonderful characters, and I was able to visualize the entire story. This might be book 11 but the author does a spectacular job keeping the mystery, characters, and story fresh.

The audiobook is narrated by Allyson Ryan. Ms. Ryan does an excellent job with the narration of One for the Books. Each character has a distinct voice in tone, inflection, and enunciation. The narrator has a pleasant voice, making an already enjoyable book (I also read the ebook), even better. Fans of the Library Lover's Mystery series will love not only reading the book but also listening to is, as well. 

I was provided a copy of this audiobook to review.

My Rating:

Cozy Mystery Book Review ~ Seven Deadly Sequins (Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries #2) by Julie Anne Lindsey @JulieALindsey #CozyMystery

Bonnie & Clyde are at it again!

When the death of a local baker threatens to shred the fabric of their lovely town, this dynamic sleuthing duo bolts into action. The results will leave you in stitches.

It’s summertime in beautiful Bliss, Georgia, and while second chance dress shop owner, Bonnie Balfour, would prefer to spend her time redesigning gowns for the upcoming Founder’s Day parade, her grandma, Gigi, is too hot under the collar to concentrate. It seems Gigi’s former friend is using her recipe to sell cobbler at the local festivities, and she’s claiming Gigi’s treat as her own!

Things go from uncomfortable to downright ugly when Gigi confronts her friend publicly about the unseamly pattern of behavior, only to later find the woman dead! With Gigi’s prints on the murder weapon, and dozens of material witnesses to their earlier scrap, Gigi cuts straight to the top of Sheriff Wright’s suspect list.

Now, Bonnie and her kitty companion, Clyde, must don their sleuthing hats once more.

To mend Gigi’s reputation and deliver justice for the victim, Bonnie must lace together a string of clues about what really happened that night. Will she wind up on the killer’s cutting board in the process?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58106992-seven-deadly-sequins
Amazon https://amzn.to/3FSGgrb

ASIN: ‎ B094RFQ3M8
Publisher: ‎ Cozy Queen Publishing LLC (October 15, 2021)
Publication Date: ‎ October 15, 2021
Print Length: ‎ 198 pages

My Review:

Bonnie Balfour's grandmother, Gigi, has moved back to Bliss, Georgia. All is not right in Gigi's world though when she discovers one of her friends may stolen an heirloom recipe. When Gigi confronts the baker and then tries to confront her again later the same day, Gigi finds her friend dead and herself the prime suspect. Bonnie knows that although Gigi is upset about the theft, Gigi is not a murderer. When Bonnie again thinks the police process is rolling too slowly, she begins to take matters into her own hands. As Bonnie uncovers clues, she realizes more is at stake and discovers she's again in a killer's crosshairs.

I loved Seven Deadly Sequins. The characters, setting, and plot are engaging. The murder isn’t the only theme in the book, giving the book a lot of realism. The book is also full of excellent imagery, character development, and a great story.

The author's writing style is fluid and the pacing is perfect. The story is so easy to read that when I reached the end, I couldn’t believe I was done already. I found myself engaged and completely captivated in the story from the very beginning. I really enjoyed Seven Deadly Sequins and can't wait for the next book.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating: