It's Here! ~~ A Questionable Character by Lorna Barrett ~ Booktown Mystery #17 ~ @LornaBarrett @BerkleyMystery @Berkley

The murder of a local contractor may be the final nail in the coffin for Tricia Miles in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B0BKK2K2SL
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ July 25, 2023

Amazon: https://amzn.to/45Ymisk
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63106387-a-questionable-character

About the Book:

It's a busy summer in Booktown. Contractor Jim Stark is in great demand: he’s overseeing a number of projects, including Angelica Miles's newly constructed building on Main Street, finishing up the new brew pub, and gutting a stone mansion off Main Street that Angelica bought to be the world headquarters for Nigela Ricita Asssociates. It’ll house office space where her marketing staff and the rest of the NR Associates clerical personnel will work.

Tricia Miles and Angelica arrive at the mansion before their workday to see how the construction is going. They find the place unlocked and Stark’s right-hand man, Sanjay Arya, dead—bludgeoned to death. The loss of the contractor’s top man threatens all the projects in the works, which would effectively ruin the expensive marketing plan that the Chamber of Commerce has been working. Is Jim a suspect? (He’d be stupid to kill the person he depends on to keep the projects going.) But Stark also thinks his wife, who was very chummy with Sanjay, might have been cheating on him with the second-in-command, making him a likely suspect.

Once again Tricia finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, but can she find the killer before he or she has the chance to bring the hammer down?

Read an Excerpt at https://amzn.to/3WZDlG5

Visit the Author at https://lornabarrett.com/

New Release ~ Scaredy Cat by Sofie Ryan ~ Second Chance Cat Mystery #10 ~ #CozyMystery @Berkley @BerkleyMystery

Book Details:

Ebook:
ASIN: ‎ B0B5SQX717
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ July 4, 2023

Paperback:
ASIN: ‎ B0B5SQX717
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ July 4, 2023

Amazon: https://amzn.to/42EpHJD

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61407328-scaredy-cat

About the Book:

Secondhand store owner Sarah Grayson and her affectionate rescue cat, Elvis, will scare up a few leads to find a killer in the newest installment of this captivating New York Times bestselling series.

After a long, cold, and snowy winter, it seems as though spring may be arriving early in Maine. Sarah Grayson is busy at her store, Second Chance, and she’s looking forward to an afternoon break from the hustle and bustle, tagging along to the North Harbor Spring House Tour with her friend Detective Michelle Andrews.

But it turns out one of the houses has a haunted history, and when a ghost hunter is found dead on the premises, Sarah knows the best way to uncover the killer/to solve the mystery is by investigating the not-so-dearly departed. With help from Elvis and Charlotte’s Angels, the crew of senior citizen private detectives who work out of the store, she’ll close the case on this creepy crime.

Read an Excerpt: https://amzn.to/3J35mH6

Visit the Author's Webiste: https://sofiekelly.com/

New May Berkley Mystery Book Release ~ Dressed to Drill (Fixer-Upper Mystery #10) by Kate Carlisle @katecarlisle #CozyMystery @BerkleyPub @BerkleyMystery #Berkley

 

Contractor Shannon Hammer’s new project, renovating an old church, reveals some old sins when a body is found on the premises in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times author Kate Carlisle.

About the Book:

While Shannon Hammer is thrilled to attend the premiere of the movie based on her boyfriend Mac’s latest book, she can’t wait to trade her killer heels for work boots and start her next renovation project in Lighthouse Cove: a quaint Victorian church that has seen better days. And will see them again—as a museum—if Shannon, her talented crew, and her sister Chloe have anything to say about it.

But on the first day of demolition, work comes to a screeching halt when they stumble on the body of a beautiful young woman in one of the chapels. Who killed the assistant art director? Suspects crawl out of the woodwork as fast as Shannon can restore it. The church is hiding a century of secrets from the days that smugglers wreaked havoc on the California coast. But it’s a more recent secret that someone killed to protect. Shannon and Mac will use every tool in their toolbox to nail down the truth before any more lives are sacrificed.

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B09TZNW592
Publisher: ‎ Berkley (May 2, 2023)
Publication Date: ‎ May 2, 2023
Print Length: ‎ 332 pages

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60567925-dressed-to-drill

Visit the Author's Website:

https://katecarlisle.com/

New April Berkley Mystery Book Release ~ The Ghost Goes to the Dogs (Haunted Bookshop Mystery) by Cleo Coyle #ParanormalCozyMystery @CleoCoyle @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

The Ghost Goes to the Dogs (Haunted Bookshop Mystery) 

by Cleo Coyle

The Ghost Goes to the Dogs (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)

Paranormal Cozy Mystery

9th in Series

Berkley 

Publish Date: May 2, 2023

Mass Market Paperback: ‎ 320 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 0425255492

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0425255490

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0B8GC8YHT



About The Ghost Goes to the Dogs:

A stray dog leads bookseller Penelope McClure and her gumshoe ghost on a chase for a cunning criminal in this brand-new entry in the "UTTERLY CHARMING" (Mystery Scene) Haunted Bookshop Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Pet Mystery Week brings brisk business to Penelope's Rhode Island bookshop, but a real mystery comes barking at her door when a lost dog turns up in a panic. Pen and her son Spencer follow the furry fugitive to a wooded area where the dog's owner lies unconscious. Mrs. Cunningham is a warm-hearted widow who volunteers at the animal shelter and runs Buy the Book's pet lovers book club. Why would anyone shoot such a sweet soul?

The police believe it's an accident, a shot by a careless deer hunter, but Pen remains skeptical. To straighten out this doggone mess, she whistles for the ghost of PI Jack Shepard, an expert in hounding as well as haunting. Jack has a dog story of his own, a case from the 1940s that may help Pen sniff out clues to her present predicament. Yet even with Jack's hard-boiled help, Pen may not be able to stop the killer from striking again or letting this whole case go to the dogs...

Visit the Author's Website:

https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/cleos_haunted_bookshop.cfm

Purchase Link: 

Amazon 

New @BerkleyMystery #CozyMystery #Book Release ~ Digging Up Daisy (A Mainely Murder Mystery, Book 1) by Sherry Lynn @BerkleyPub

In a fresh new Maine-set cozy from author Sherry Lynn,

Kinsley Clark must root out a killer before the killer roots out her.

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B0B8GQNCBY

Publisher: ‎ Berkley

Publication Date: ‎ April 4, 2023

Print Length: ‎ 302 pages

Amazon

Goodreads

About the Book:

At twenty-nine, Kinsley Clark is living the dream life she always envisioned for herself. She’s the proud owner of SeaScapes, a thriving landscaping company in wealthy Harborside, set on the rugged coast of southern Maine. Kinsley’s veins are filled with salty air, a myriad of colors, and the fragrance of fresh blooms. But one afternoon, while working at her aunt Tilly’s bed-and-breakfast, the Salty Breeze Inn, Kinsley digs up more than she bargained for—a high-heeled shoe. The once sparkly shoe, now caked in mud, is linked to a case the police had appropriately dubbed the "Cinderella Murder."

Kinsley panics. Does this mean that her aunt and the inn are somehow connected to this murder? Will it scare away potential guests? Will it subject the inn to a rush of bad press? With Aunt Tilly’s reputation, and possibly her safety, on the line, Kinsley digs deeper into the crime to find out what the shoe was doing on her aunt’s property and who murdered Cinderella, whose real name is Daisy. As she investigates, more suspects rise to the surface, and eventually, Kinsley has to weed out a killer.

Visit the Author's Website:

https://www.sherrylynnbooks.com/

New @BerkleyMystery #CozyMystery #Book Release ~ Fiddling with Fate (A Southern Homebrew Mystery, Book 3) by Diane Kelly ~ @DianeKellyBooks @BerkleyPub

When a local bluegrass musician disappears and a jug of her shop’s corn liquor is implicated, moonshiner Hattie Hayes must stop further trouble from brewing in this delightful cozy mystery series.

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B0B8H4K5XS
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ April 4, 2023
Print Length: ‎ 286 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/41c7IKe

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61856141-fiddling-with-fate

About the Book: 

It’s August in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moonshiner Hattie Hayes has collaborated with a nearby vineyard to serve her moonshine at a Wine and 'Shine event. Not only is this an opportunity for Hattie to gain more moonshine fans, but she’s also excited to hear the Bootlegging Brothers, a popular bluegrass band. But not every attendee is looking for harmony. When one of the brothers disappears and is presumed dead, Hattie realizes her grace note gathering has suddenly turned more sour than her mash.

Unearthing what happened to the missing musician is more difficult than Hattie first expected. Hattie’s moonshine is tied to the crime and there’s no time to fiddle around—she has to step up to solve the case. Luckily, Hattie’s cool head and quick mind help her understand that when investigating a musical crime, always stay sharp.

Read an Excerpt on Amazon

Visit the Author's Website: https://www.dianekelly.com/

March Cozy Mystery Release ~ Till Death Do Us Port (A Colorado Wine Mystery Book 4) by Kate Lansing ~ #CozyMystery #Wedding #Vintner # Wedding @lansingkm @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

About the Book:

When a wedding turns into a crime scene, young vintner Parker Valentine investigates the full-bodied problem in this captivating Colorado-set cozy mystery.

It’s June in Boulder, Colorado, and wedding season is in full swing. Parker Valentine is excited to attend the wedding of her cousin, Emma, where in addition to celebrating the happy couple, she’ll also be providing wine for the reception. But when the fussy wedding planner is found dead midway through the ceremony, Parker knows that to get the weekend back on track, she’ll need to unveil a murderer.

Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of high tension and hot tempers during a wedding, so Parker has a long list of potential suspects. Even worse, her entire family has fixated on the state of Parker’s relationship with her boyfriend, Reid. If Parker can manage to impress her relatives with her wine skills and dodge unwanted pointed personal questions, solving a murder will be the icing on the cake.

ASIN: ‎ B09RP78NM9
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ March 7, 2023
Print Length: ‎ 303 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Keve3H

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60291555-till-death-do-us-port

Visit the Author: https://katelansing.com/

March Cozy Mystery Release ~ Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto ~ @thewritinghippo ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

 

A lonely shopkeeper takes it upon herself to solve a murder in the most peculiar way in this captivating mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

About the Book:

Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady—ah, lady of a certain age—who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing—a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B0B4513BRW
Publisher: ‎ Berkley (March 14, 2023)
Publication Date: ‎ March 14, 2023
Page Count: ‎ 348 pages

Amazon: 

https://amzn.to/40tkyUD

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61827543-vera-wong-s-unsolicited-advice-for-murderers

Visit the Author:

https://jesseqsutantoauthor.com/

New Cozy Mystery Release ~ Murder in PostScript by Mary Winters #CozyMystery @BerkleyPub @BerkleyMystery

 

About the Book:

When one of her readers asks for advice following a suspected murder, Victorian countess Amelia Amesbury, who secretly pens the popular Lady Agony column, has no choice but to investigate in this first book in a charming new historical mystery series.

Amelia Amesbury--widow, mother, and countess--has a secret. Amelia writes for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners under the pen name Lady Agony. But when a lady's maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes her mistress has been murdered--and then ends up a victim herself--Amelia is determined to solve the case.

With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London's docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation--and her life--on the line.

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B0B5D5HW3K
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ March 28, 2023
Print Length: ‎ 319 pages

Amazon: 

https://amzn.to/3M23WyT

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61391814-murder-in-postscript

Visit the Author's Website: 

https://marywintersauthor.com/books/murder-in-postscript/

March Cozy Mystery Release ~ Lemon Curd Killer (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

Lemon Curd Killer (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs

Book Details:

Cozy Mystery

25th in Series

Setting - South Carolina

Publisher: Berkley 

Publish Date: March 7, 2023

Hardcover: ‎ 320 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 0593200926

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593200926

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0B3HQFB3N

About Lemon Curd Killer: 

High tea and high fashion turn deadly in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

Tea shop entrepreneur Theodosia Browning has been tapped to host a fancy Limón Tea in a genuine lemon orchard as a rousing kickoff to Charleston Fashion Week. But as fairy lights twinkle and the scent of lemon wafts among the tea tables, the deadly murder of a fashion designer puts the squeeze on things.

As the lemon curd begins to sour, the murdered woman’s daughter begs Theodosia to help find the killer. Tea events and fashion shows must go on, however, which puts Theodosia and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, right in the thick of squabbling business partners, crazed clothing designers, irate film producers, drug deals, and a disastrous Tea Trolley Tour.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

Visit Laura:

Website – Facebook

Purchase Link: Amazon

#CozyMystery #Review ~ Six Sweets Under (True Confections Mystery, #1) by Sarah Fox #Berkley @TheWriteFox @BerkleyPub @BerkleyMystery

 

In a cute new culinary cozy from USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox, budding chocolatier Becca Ransom must solve a murder before she meets a sticky end.

Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publish Date: February 7, 2023
Mass Market Paperback: ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10: ‎ 059354661X
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593546611

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZkaY6v
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60466242-six-sweets-under

About the Book:

Former actress Becca Ransom lived her dream in Hollywood for seven years before returning to her hometown of Larch Haven, known as the Venice of North America. The Vermont town has canals instead of roads, gondolas instead of cars, and charming cottages plucked from the pages of a fairy tale. It’s also where Becca is pursuing her newest passion as a chocolatier at True Confections, the chocolate shop owned by her grandparents, Lolly and Pops.

While Becca’s testing new flavors and reconnecting with old friends, the town is gearing up for the annual Gondola Races, popular with both residents and tourists, with one exception. Local curmudgeon Archie Smith wants nothing more than to keep tourists away from Larch Haven. He’s determined to derail this year’s event and does his best to stir up trouble for the organizers, including Becca’s grandfather.

Following a heated argument with Pops, Archie is found floating face-down in the canal, and Pops finds himself in hot water as one of the top suspects. Becca’s determined to clear her grandfather’s name, but when the case heats up, she could be facing a sticky end.

My Review:

Six Sweets Under is the first book the new True Confections series by Sarah Fox. I love culinary cozies and this one hits it out of the park. With fun main characters, a unique setting, and a complex murder mystery, Six Sweets Under kept me interested and engaged.

Becca is back home in Vermont after a stint as an actress in Hollywood. Her hometown of Larch Haven is perfectly depicted as Venice of North America. Similar to Mackinaw Island in Michigan, Larch Haven is a carless town. Instead of horse-drawn carriages though, Larch Haven has canals and gondolas to get residents and tours around the town. I loved this aspect of the story. Larch Haven may be fictional but the author wrote the entire story in a very realistic manner. I would love to visit a North American town set up this way. Going to Venice would be amazing, in an of itself, however I don't see that trip in my future.

The murder mystery is close to Becca and she will do anything to clear her grandfather's name. And in true cozy mystery fashion, that means amateur sleuthing behind the sheriff's back. Discreet snooping doesn't stay under the radar, though, and Becca finds herself in the crosshairs, the victim of threats. 

Becca is a capable, competent, and likable character. I love her interactions with her family, friends, and townsfolk. I'm excited to see where the author takes Becca next.

I was provided a copy of the book to read.

My Rating:

Read an Excerpt on Amazon: 

https://amzn.to/3ZkaY6v

Visit the Author's Website: 

https://www.authorsarahfox.com/

New February Book Release ~ Playing Dead (Molly Madison, Book #2) by Peggy Rothschild @PegRothschild @BerkleyMystery #CozyMystery

 

Molly Madison is back to solve another doggone difficult murder in her California community in this mystery from the author of A Deadly Bone to Pick.

About the Book:

Molly Madison has barely had a moment to catch her breath after moving to the sleepy beach town she now calls home. But as a former PI, she can’t help but notice the odd chemistry between members of Playtime Academy on the first day she and her loyal Saint Bernadoodle, Noodle, and golden retriever, Harlow, visit. When a trainer’s body is found on-site, Molly knows it’s her duty to put her ex-police skills to use. She can’t say no to temporarily taking in the deceased woman’s dog, either—not with those puppy dog eyes.

Relationships at the training facility are not as clean as the prize-winning agility runs, making it difficult for Molly to get a leash on potential suspects. And her personal life is just as messy—her boyfriend is hiding something, her agoraphobic neighbor needs help, and her number of four-legged friends keep growing as she agrees to dogsit a wriggly local French bulldog.

When Molly’s friend is arrested for the murder, she’s not sure who to believe anymore. Is the case as simple as the local cops make it seem, or is something more devious afoot?

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B09ZRKN7S1
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ February 7, 2023
Print Length: ‎ 304 pages

Amazon: 

https://amzn.to/3k0Vows

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61067480-playing-dead

Visit the Author's Website: 

https://peggyrothschildauthor.com/

New February Release from @BerkleyMystery ~ Wined and Died in New Orleans (A Vintage Cookbook Mystery) by Ellen Byron #CozyMystery

Publisher: ‎ Berkley 

Publish Date: February 7, 2023

Mass Market Paperback: ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10: ‎ 0593437632
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593437636

About the Book:

The second in a fantastic new cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning author Ellen Byron.

It’s hurricane season in New Orleans and vintage cookbook fan Ricki James-Diaz is trying to shelve her weather-related fears and focus on her business, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop, housed in the magnificent Bon Vee Culinary House Museum.

Repairs on the property unearth crates of very old, very valuable French wine, buried by the home’s builder, Jean-Louis Charbonnet. Ricki, who’s been struggling to attract more customers to Miss Vee’s, is thrilled when her post about the discovery of this long-buried treasure goes viral. She’s less thrilled when the post brings distant Charbonnet family members out of the woodwork, all clamoring for a cut of the wine’s sale.

When a dead body turns up in Bon Vee’s cheery fall decorations, the NOPD zeroes in on Eugenia Charbonnet Felice as the prime suspect, figuring that as head of the Charbonnet family, she has the most to gain. Ricki is determined to uncover the real culprit, but she can’t help noticing that Eugenia is acting strangely. Ricki wonders what kind of secret her mentor has bottled up, and fears what might happen if she uncorks it.

In the second Vintage Cookbook Mystery, Ricki has to help solve a murder, untangle family secrets, and grow her business, all while living under the threat of a hurricane that could wipe out everything from her home to Bon Vee.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3icWpB2

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60581484-wined-and-died-in-new-orleans

Read an Excerpt: 

https://amzn.to/3Gni1T7   

Visit the Author's Website: 

https://www.ellenbyron.com/

New Book Release ~ The Ghost and the Stolen Tears (Haunted Bookshop Mystery Book 8) by Cleo Coyle ~ #CozyMystery @CleoCoyle

 

With the help of her gumshoe ghost, bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure sets out to clear an innocent woman of a shocking crime in this all-new entry in the “utterly charming” (Mystery Scene) Haunted Bookshop Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Norma is a modern-day nomad. Living out of her van and teardrop trailer, she revels in self-reliance, solitude, and reading in the glorious peace of nature. Jovial, wise, and scrupulously honest, she’s become an uplifting presence in the little town of Quindicott, Rhode Island, where bookseller Pen is thankful to have her part-time help. But it’s Norma’s other job, working as a housekeeper at the Finch Inn, that gets her into terrible trouble. Norma is accused of stealing jewels from a guest’s room: the legendary Valentino Teardrops, an antique necklace and earring set, inherited by a young socialite. Pen doesn’t believe Norma is guilty of the crime—though the evidence is distressingly strong. And when the spirited Norma vanishes before her arrest, Pen turns to another spirit…

Jack Shepard, PI, may have been gunned down decades ago, but his memory hasn’t been ghosted. Back in the 1940s, those same Valentino Teardrops starred in a bizarre case of betrayal and murder. From the look of things, history is about to repeat. Now Jack is back on the job, and Pen is eternally grateful.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (October 4, 2022)

Mass Market Paperback: ‎ 288 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 0425255484

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0425255483

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09PZV5F9S

Purchase Your Copy:

https://amzn.to/3fSWqZ0 

Visit the Authors' Website: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51488.Cleo_Coyle

New Book Release ~ Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala ~ Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #3 ~ #CozyMystery @MPMtheWriter @BerkleyMystery

 

When her long lost cousin comes back to town just in time for the holidays, Lila Macapagal knows that big trouble can't be far behind in this new mystery by Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo.

It's Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, The Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she's taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend, Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he's back on his feet and ready to give back to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

She's soon proven right when Ronnie is accused of murder, and secrets and rumors surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin's innocence. He may be a jerk, but he's still family. And there's no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer...right?

ASIN: ‎ B09PZT77T2

Publisher: ‎ Berkley 

Publication Date: ‎ October 4, 2022

Print Length: ‎ 286 pages

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3SZzqGg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60046855-blackmail-and-bibingka

Visit the Author's Website:  https://www.miapmanansala.com/

Book Feature ~ Murder of a Mail-Order Bride (Love Is Murder, Book #2) Mimi Granger #CozyMystery @CaseyDanielsBks @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

 

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B09HT9KWZW
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ August 2, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 269 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RJDYQm
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59426325-murder-of-a-mail-order-bride

About the Book:

When real life starts mimicking the plot of one of the romance books that line the shelves in her bookstore, it's up to Lizzie Hale to catch the killer, in this riveting new Love is Murder mystery.

Lizzie Hale thought mail-order brides existed only between the pages of the historical romances she stocks in her bookstore, Love Under the Covers. But when not one, but two local men introduce her to their respective new wives, she's forced to reevaluate that notion.

Lizzie is surprised when Al Little, the owner of the local hardware store, asks Lizzie and her aunt Charmaine to help Svetlana, his new bride straight from Russia, to settle into Tinker's Creek, but they agree.

Everything is going swimmingly—until a wrench gets thrown into their plans when Svetlana is found drowned in the creek.

With Al's suspicious best friend—who has his own mysterious mail-order bride—and the secretive matchmaker who put them together, Lizzie's got more suspects than she knows what to do with. But she'll have to nail down who the killer is fast, before someone else winds up dead.

Visit the Author's Website:

https://www.mystery-book-series.com/

Cozy Mystery Book #Review ~ Evil Under the Tuscan Sun (Tuscan Cooking School Mystery #3) by Stephanie Cole #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

Nell Valenti is at ease when managing a farm to table cooking school in sun-dappled Tuscany, but begins to feel the heat when tasked with catching a killer, in this engaging Italian-set cozy mystery series.

When a wealthy New York philanthropist pays top dollar for a private, four-day ziti workshop, Nell Valenti wants everyone at the Orlandini cooking school focused on the task at hand. But complications abound when Nell's boyfriend Pete Orlandini rushes to Rome for an unexpected business trip, Chef Orlandini is more preoccupied with a potential spot on an American cooking show than preparing for the workshop, and an uninvited woman sneaks into the villa to inspect Pete's olive grove. The last disturbance proves deadly, and when the woman's body is found in the grove, Nell must investigate before her hopes for the workshop, like the olives, are crushed.

Nell now has another item on her checklist--keep the Orlandinis out of trouble and the wealthy ziti-lovers happy while she looks into the stranger's past. When Nell discovers that for one of the Orlandinis, at least, the murder victim was not such a stranger after all, she'll learn that when a detective goes digging in Italy, she'd better be ready for truffle.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rteqN2

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57926107-evil-under-the-tuscan-sun

ASIN: ‎ B093YQKMY3
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ February 1, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 300 pages

My Review and Rating:

Evil Under the Tuscan Sun by Stephanie Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Orlandini Cooking School is off to a bright start. Word has spread and a wealthy New York philanthropist books the school for a ziti workshop. Four days of private pasta and marinara classes with Nell at the helm. Pete is off to Rome on business and Chef is too busy preparing to possibly win a spot on a cooking show. Organizing the workshop takes an interesting turn when strangers appear in Pete’s olive grove, and one of the strangers is found dead on Orlandini property.

Evil Under the Tuscan Sun is the third book in the Tuscan Cooking School Mystery series by Stephanie Cole. The book was an engaging story with likable characters and a believable mystery. Nell is a hard-working American employed at the Orlandini culinary school in Italy. Nell is written with realism and her interactions with everyone fit the way a professional in a less-than-perfect situation would act.

The mysterious death of a woman found on Orlandini property was well thought out. The suspects were plenty, even if unlikely and/or not plausible. The lead up to and reveal of the murderer, along with the means and motive, were plotted well. I enjoyed the additional storylines threaded through the murder mystery.

There was plentiful character development and wonderful world building. I was able to visualize every element of the story including the mouth-watering recipes. I'm excited to see what happens at Villa Orlandini in the next book.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.  

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Cozy Mystery Review ~ Better Late Than Never (Library Lover's Mystery, Book #7) by Jenn McKinlay @MckinlayJenn @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

In the latest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of A Likely Story, a decades overdue book puts library director Lindsey Norris hot on the trail of a cold case...

When the Briar Creek Public Library holds its first overdue book amnesty day—no fines for late returns—the volume of incoming materials is more than Lindsey and her staff can handle. In a bind, Lindsey drafts the crafternoon ladies to help check in and sort the stacks of books.

But one tardy tome catches her attention—a copy of J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, twenty years past due. When Lindsey looks up the borrower, she’s shocked to discover it was a murdered school teacher named Candice Whitley, whose killer was never found.

Candice checked out the novel on the day she was murdered. Now Lindsey wonders if it could provide a clue to the decades-old cold case. No one noticed who brought the book back in, but could it be Candice’s killer? Lindsey is determined to catch the culprit one way or another, because justice for Candice Whitley is long overdue...

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eGNYbz

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28953443-better-late-than-never

Visit the Author's Website: https://www.jennmckinlay.com/

ASIN: ‎ B01BK0SQ90
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ November 1, 2016
Print Length: ‎ 297 pages

My Review & Rating:

Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Better Late Than Never is another great book in the Library Lover’s Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. I love the idea of an overdue book amnesty day. Late books can be returned without fear of a fine. The event is a hit and the sheer number of books returned overwhelms the library. Everything comes to a screeching halt when a decades-old book is found among the returns. Checked out 20 years prior, Lindsey learns the person who borrowed the book is former teacher, Candice Whitley who was murdered the same day she died. Her murdered still hasn’t been found. Now, Lindsey finds herself immersed in a cold case and she just knows the returned book the key to solving the mystery.

I enjoyed Better Late Than Never and devoured it as fast I could without compromising my ability retain the story. The characters are kind and lovable, and I love Ms. Cole. She's a character in her own right. I love the author's writing style, the pacing was good, and the story compelling. The continued character development allowed for me to further get to know the citizens of Briar Creek. The author created a wonderful town, with wonderful characters, and I was able to visualize the entire story. The author did a great job writing this book realistically. I'm invested in these characters and can't wait to dive into the next book.

I borrowed this book from my library.

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Cozy Mystery Review ~ A Likely Story (Library Lover's Mystery, Book #6) by Jenn McKinlay @MckinlayJenn @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

 

Small-town librarian Lindsey Norris must solve a murder and a missing person's case involving two reclusive brothers.

NOT HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER

Delivering books to the housebound residents of the Thumb Islands, just a short boat ride from the town of Briar Creek, library director Lindsey Norris has befriended two elderly brothers, Stewart and Peter Rosen. She enjoys visiting them in their treasure-filled, ramshackle Victorian on Star Island until she discovers that Peter has been killed and Stewart is missing. Now she's determined to solve a murder and find Stewart before he suffers his brother's fate.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zgnAic

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24611594-a-likely-story

Visit the Author's Website: https://www.jennmckinlay.com/

ASIN: ‎ B00SI026IS
Publisher: ‎ Berkley (November 3, 2015)
Publication Date: ‎ November 3, 2015
Print Length: ‎ 293 pages

Read an Excerpt on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zgnAic

My Review and Rating: 

A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Likely Story is another great book in the Library Lover’s Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. The author sets the stage with a pair of homebound, reclusive brothers on the Thumb Islands, just off the coast of Briar Creek. As she delivers books to residents of the island, she has gotten to know them and enjoys being able to bring them books and visit while she’s there. When she delivers books to Stewart and Peter, she finds Peter is dead in the home the brothers share, and Stewart is missing. The race is on to find Stewart and find out what happened to Peter.

The setting is enjoyable, and the mystery is well-thought out. This one of those books (actually, series) that hooks you, keeps you entertained, and then suddenly, you're at the end already. Every character is great. The characters are well-developed, fun, and likeable. Written 3-dimensionally, they never fall flat or appear like cardboard cutouts.

I found myself able to connect with Lindsey, not because we are or aren’t similar or we've been down the same roads, but because she is fun, interesting, and nice. I love the author's writing style, the pacing was good, and the story compelling. The continual character development allows 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.

I borrowed this book from my library.

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Cozy Mystery Review ~ A Side of Murder (Cape Cod Foodie Mystery #1) by Amy Pershing @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

 

A food writer must investigate the death of an old enemy in this witty and exciting new cozy mystery series set in beautiful Cape Cod, Massachusetts, known for seafood, sand, surf, and, now...murder.

Samantha Barnes was always a foodie. So when the CIA (that’s the Culinary Institute of America) came calling, she happily traded in Cape Cod for the Big Apple. Soon the young chef is a rising star in the city’s food scene—until a feud with another chef (her ex) boils over and goes viral. So when Sam inherits her Great-Aunt Ida’s house on the Cape and lands a job writing restaurant reviews, it seems like the perfect pairing. What could go wrong? Well, as it turns out, a lot.

The dilapidated house comes with an enormous puppy. Her new boss is, well, bossy. And the town’s new harbormaster is none other than her first love. Nonetheless, Sam’s looking forward to testing her inner food critic at the Bayview Grille—and indeed the seafood chowder is divine. But the body floating in the pond outside the eatery was not on the menu. Though the drowning is called an accident, Sam is certain it's murder. And as she begins to stir the pot, it becomes terrifyingly clear that she may be writing the recipe for her own untimely demise.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EFOpxy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53289229-a-side-of-murder

Visit the Author's Website: https://amypershingauthor.com/

ASIN: ‎ B087PL9HHF
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ February 23, 2021
Print Length: ‎ 319 pages

My Review and Rating:

A Side of Murder by Amy Pershing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After her time in the Big Apple comes to a crashing and burning end, Samantha Barnes finds her way back to Fair Harbor, Massachusetts. She inherits her great aunt's house on the Cape, and this is her chance to start over. Life on the Cape doesn't begin exactly how she'd imagined it would when she discovers the house is a hot mess, her new job has some quirks, she's apparently also inherited a dog, and the harbormaster is a guy from her past.

The ultimate downer though, is the body she finds floating in the water outside of a restaurant she'd been critiquing. A sleuth Samantha is not but she gives it a go when she's certain the drowning was not accidental. As she searches for clues, Samantha unearths a lot more than she expected. she uncovers secrets, blackmail, and lies running rampant through town.

A Side of Murder is a delightful first book in the Cape Cod Foodie series by Amy Pershing. The author did a wonderful job establishing the setting of this cozy mystery. Her world-building was complex but easily envisioned as the reader goes on this journey with Samantha. The descriptions are captivating, and really wanted to vacation in Cape Cod after finishing the book.

There are sparks between Sam and Jason. I'm going to love watching them dance around each other until the author finds the right time to bring them together. All the characters are enjoyable, and I loved Sam's neighbor, Helene. The name of Sam's inherited puppy is cute, too. Diogi (D O G) is precious, and I love it.

The mystery is solid and mildly complex. The author throws in a few potential suspects, some twists and turns, and red herrings. Sam's amateur sleuthing debut is a hit and I enjoyed her every bit of the way through the mystery. The author did a great job writing a cozy mystery that will pull the reader in and keep them engaged throughout the entire book. I look forward to reading the next book.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.  

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