Book review: “Scones & Bones” by Laura Childs (Tea Shop Mystery #12)

Title:  Scones & Bones

Author:  Laura Childs

Series:  Tea Shop Mystery #12

Synopsis (from bn.com):  Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is attending the Heritage Society’s Pirates and Plunder show when a histroy intern is murdered amidst the gold earrings and doubloons. Even with that on her plate, Theodosia still has to attend Charleston’s Food and Wine Festival, where she’s hosting a tea and cheese tasting. But as her thoughts keep drifting to the victim, Theodosia knows she’ll have to whet her investigative skills to find the killer among a schooner of suspects.

My thoughts:   This is a very popular, well known cozy series indeed.   I’m working my way through the series oh so slowly, with stops at other books along the way.   This wasn’t my favorite in the series by any means . . . mostly because I just wasn’t a fan of the whole Pirate theme, but that is just me.   This one seemed to move really slowly . . .

Overall, a charming cozy mystery series . . . likable characters, warm cozy locations, one can learn quite a bit about the culture of Charleston . . . a win for me.

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

Book Review: “By Cook or by Crook” by Maya Corrigan (Five-Ingredient Mystery #1)

Title:  By Cook or by Crook

Author:  Maya Corrigan

Series:  Five-Ingredient Mystery #1

Synopsis (from bn.com):

Take one burned-out city girl. Add a crusty codger, a pinch of gossip, and a dash of romance. Stir in a generous helping of murder and you’ve got the ingredients for one truly delicious mystery. . .

Haunted by the car accident that ended her career as a cookbook publicist, Val Deniston has traded in the chaos of New York City for a quieter life near the Chesapeake Bay. Living with her curmudgeonly grandfather in the tourist town of Bayport is hardly glamorous, but she enjoys working at the Cool Down Café at the local fitness club, and she finally has time to work on her long-planned cookbook. But when one of the club’s patrons is found dead, she’ll have to cook up a scheme to find the killer. As the number of suspects rises like crabs in a bucket, it’s out of the pan and into the fire for Val. If she can’t find the culprit soon, she might as well be chum in the water. . .

My thoughts:  Well . . . I was doing some shelving in my personal library the other day and was looking for a new series to read . . . alas I found this long lost book on my shelf and it fit the bill.

I want to say I loved this cozy mystery, but I just didn’t love it.  Yes, it has all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery – a cozy, beach location, a heroine who is trying to get over some devastating past, a murder that everyone gets involved in . . . but I just didn’t love or feel connected to the characters right away.   I particularly don’t enjoy the curmudgeon grandfather character – it is fine, he just strikes me the wrong way and I get irritated.

And it sounds odd, since this book is really only from 2014 but it is amazing in the last 6 years – how aged the book really seems – it struck me a couple times talking about a landline in the house and such.   Didn’t make or break the book for me, but I definitely noticed it.

I believe I have the second book in this series on my shelf already so I may go back for one more to see if I can connect with the characters . . . but that may have to be it.

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

 

 

 

Book Review: “Tide and Punishment” (Seaside Café Mystery #3)

Title:  Tide and Punishment

Author:  Bree Baker

Series:  Seaside Café Mystery #3

Synopsis (from BN.com): 

No one dreams of a killer Christmas…

It’s Christmastime in Charm, North Carolina, and while Everly Swan would prefer to focus on decorating her iced tea shop for its first holiday season, Great-Aunt Fran has decided to run for mayor against her long-time nemesis. But when the other candidate turns up dead just before the first scheduled debate, all eyes turn to Fran as the suspect with the most obvious motive.

Everly knows her sweet, elderly Aunt Fran couldn’t have murdered anyone, but as she struggles to find the real killer, it begins to seem like this may be the last merry Christmas her family may ever have.

 

My thoughts:  I absolutely love this cozy mystery series.  I found the series “by mistake” if you will during a trip to the bookstore and perusal through the cozy mystery section – everytime I see the words “First in a New Series” chances are its coming home with me.   And this series ended up being a big winner.

What is not to love – great engaging characters, a seaside Iced Tea shop (man why don’t these cozy locations exist in my real life), descriptions of a beachside town,  . . . it is all just good and makes for a great cozy read.

And like any good reader . . . man now I have to wait until May 2020 for her next book in the series . . . A Call to Kelp!

Great read . . . go get it today 🙂

And remember . . . Books Are Life,

Heather

 

Book Review: “A Finely Knit Murder” by Sally Goldenbaum (Seaside Knitters Mystery #9)

Title:  A Finely Knit Murder

Author:  Sally Goldenbaum

Series:  Seaside Knitter’s Mystery #9

Synopsis (from bn.com):

Seaside Knitter Birdie Favazza is thrilled that her granddaughter Gabby will be visiting for the fall and attending the Sea Harbor Community Day School. Gabby loves the school, with its newly-adopted progressive curriculum, and she loves that the Seaside Knitters are teaching knitting as part of the enrichment program. It’s a huge success, and on crisp autumn days, girls camp out on the terraces, knitting up hats for charity.

But not everyone is happy with the direction the school is taking. Outspoken board member Blythe Westerland has sparked tempers with her determination to unravel the current administration. Then, on the evening of an elegant school event, Blythe’s body is found near the school boathouse.

With a killer on the loose, Birdie is determined to keep Gabby safe. Working together, the Seaside Knitters carefully unravel the layers of Blythe’s complicated life, bringing faculty members and town residents under scrutiny. Before the cast-off rows are made on the students’ projects, the knitters will need to stitch together the evidence to see if a murderer has been walking beside them all along.

 

My thoughts:   Alright, bear with me as I make this confusing statement – this book is a typical cozy and not a typical cozy all in one.   Ok, what do I mean?  Cozy lover’s know that cozy mysteries follow a bit of a formula (heck, that is why we like them) – cozy, quaint location, there is murder, a group of normally women get somehow involved in solving the crime normally with a cast of characters including local law enforcement of some kind . . . happy ending.

This cozy is typical – in a good way (please don’t get me wrong) – in the cozy location . . . in fact that is one of the primary reasons I LOVE cozies, is spending time in these locations  . . . and yes I believe they are all real places in my mind 🙂  Well this series is set in a quaint beach town, overlooking the ocean, quaint restaurants which everyone always goes to, charming markets and locations . . . and classic in this series is the Friday night dinner on the deck – always featuring local seafood on the grill, a myriad of homemade dishes, wine . . . yummmmm.  When the heck am I invted?

This cozy was really not typical in that the characters didn’t really start jumping into “solving” the mystery if you will until about 80 pages before the end of the book, which makes this series a bit slow and drawn out at times.

Of course I will continue the series simply for the great location and will continue to hope for more sleuthing by these great characters.

And remember,

Books Are Life

Heather

 

Book Review “The Book Supremacy” by Kate Carlisle (Bibliophile Series #13)

Title:  The Book Supremacy

Author:  Kate Carlisle

Series:  Bibliophile Series #13

Synopsis (from bn.com):  Newlyweds Brooklyn and Derek are enjoying the final days of their honeymoon in Paris. As they’re browsing the book stalls along the Seine, Brooklyn finds the perfect gift for Derek, a first edition James Bond novel, The Spy Who Loved Me. When they bump into Ned, an old friend from Derek’s spy days, Brooklyn shows him her latest treasure.

Once they’re back home in San Francisco, they visit a spy shop Ned mentioned. The owner begs them to let him display the book Brooklyn found in Paris as part of the shop’s first anniversary celebration. Before they agree, Derek makes sure the security is up to snuff—turns out, the unassuming book is worth a great deal more than sentimental value.

Soon after, Derek is dismayed when he receives a mysterious letter from Paris announcing Ned’s death. Then late one night, someone is killed inside the spy shop. Are the murders connected to Brooklyn’s rare, pricey book? Is there something even more sinister afoot? Brooklyn and the spy who loves her will have to delve into the darkest parts of Derek’s past to unmask an enemy who’s been waiting for the chance to destroy everything they hold dear.

My thoughts:  This was just a wonderfully delightful, fun book-themed cozy!   I already loved this series . . . but this one really knocked it out of the park for me.

What was super fun about this one for me was that much of it was set in a Spy shop complete with café, Escape rooms, a book nook and the works!  What a great setting.

Love the solid characters in this series . . .

If you are a book lover, a cozy lover, . . . then get your hands on this series.

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

 

2020 Book Challenge: “Calendar of Crime”

This year I am going to try a new reading challenge I found sponsored by the lovely readers at The Reader’s Block.

Please visit the following link to check it out and join the fun.

https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2019/10/calendar-of-crime-2020.html 

Happy New Year and happy reading!

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

2020 Book Challenge “Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies”

 

It’s that time of year to refresh, renew, relax . . . and most importantly start new with fresh Reading Challenges!   One of my favorites is the Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge sponsored by the wonderful folks at Socrates Book Review.

Check out more information at:

https://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2019/11/cruisin-thru-cozies-reading-challenge.html  

Given that I tend to read many other genres as well . . . I think I will go for the Snoop Level where I read 10 cozy mysteries of my choice!

Here is to a successful and fun 2020 reading year!!!

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

 

Book Review: “Poisoned Pages” by Lorna Barrett (Booktown Mystery #12)

Title:  Poisoned Pages

Author:  Lorna Barrett

Series:  Booktown Mystery #12

 

Synopsis (Amazon.com):  Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles learns that nothing kills a good party like a murder in the latest entry in the New York Times bestselling Booktown Mysteries.

Tricia Miles, mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth, throws a housewarming cocktail party in her new apartment and has cooked all the food by herself—quite a feat for someone who previously couldn’t boil water. Then one of her guests is poisoned and dies. Tricia’s left to wonder if her cooking is to blame or if there’s something much more sinister at play. Either way, Tricia’s once again in hot water with her ex-lover, Chief Baker.

Meanwhile the charming town of Stoneham is being disrupted by a vandalism crime wave. It’s the hot topic in the race for Chamber of Commerce president which sees Tricia pitted against two bitter rivals. With all that’s going on can she find the killer before she’s the next item on the menu?

 

My thoughts:   First of all, I can’t believe it has been over 6 months since I wrote on this blog.   Man that stinks!   Well I have been reading in that time and hopefully I’m back for a little more sharing.

I absolutely love this Booktown Mystery cozy series.  What cozy lover wouldn’t really?   I mean, a town in New Hampshire completely dedicated to bookshops and book themed cafes, coffee shops, and other dining establishments.

This 12th book in the series certainly did not disappoint.  Tricia, owner of mystery bookshop Haven’t Got a Clue, finds herself in yet another predicament when she finds yet another dead body in her midst.   Is she cursed as everyone starts believing or is she just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

As I was about 3/4 of the way through this book, I realized that the book wasn’t focusing as much on solving the mystery as it was on digging deeper into the relationship between Tricia and her sister Angelica and some of their life stories.   I found I really liked this deep dive further into the characters.

I feel the book ended on a very positive note and set up some wonderful places for the next book in the series to take us . . . please Lorna keep on writing this series and take us there.

Speaking of the next book in the series . . . Killer Edition Booktown Mystery #13 comes out August 13, 2019!!!

Happy Reading,

And remember,

Books are Life,

Heather

 

 

 

 

Book Review: “Books of a Feather” by Kate Carlisle (Bibliophile Mystery #10)

Title:  Birds of a Feather

Author:  Kate Carlisle

Series:  Bibliophile Mystery #10

Synopsis (from bn.com):  Brooklyn’s friend runs the Covington Library, which is hosting an exhibit featuring John James Audubon’s massive masterpiece, Birds of America. During the gala celebrating the book, she is approached by Jared Mulrooney, the president of the Bay Area Birdwatchers Society, to repair a lesser known book of Audubon drawings.

At the same party, Brooklyn is flying high after she’s asked to refurbish a rare copy of Poor Richard’s Almanack when Mulrooney’s body is discovered in the library. Soon more troubles ruffle Brooklyn’s feathers. Her parents pop in for a visit with an unsavory friend in tow, and there’s a strange man on her tail. With danger beginning to circle Brooklyn’s every move, it’s clear she must find answers before things really go south. . . .

 

My thoughts:   Man oh man I am so off of my reading game this year I can’t believe it . . . I am going to have to turn in my avid reader card.   Anyway, there is absolutely nothing better to get one out of a reading slump than to pick up a great cozy series you know and start engaging with beloved characters.

This was another strong book in this lovely cozy mystery series.   I can’t believe there are 10 books in this series already . . . time to pick up #11 from my to be read stack 🙂

I love this series for any number of reasons, one being the characters are strong, loveable, and I want to know more.   Another reason I love this series is frankly how much knowledge the author has about the intricacies of bookbinding and man, do I learn a lot from even reading these simple books.

People can make fun of my love of cozy mysteries all day if they choose to .  . . but I won’t be deterred.   Picking up a cozy is like going home again!!

another great read in a wonderful cozy series!

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

 

Book Review: “Shot in the Dark” by Cleo Coyle (Coffeehouse Mystery #17)

Title:  Shot in the Dark

Author:  Cleo Coyle

Series:  Coffeehouse Mystery #17

Synopsis (from bn.com):

As Village Blend manager Clare Cosi fixes a date for her wedding, her ex-husband is making dates through smartphone swipes. Clare has mixed feelings about these match-ups happening in her coffeehouse. Even her octogenarian employer is selecting suitors by screenshot! But business is booming, and Clare works hard to keep the espresso shots flowing. Then one night, another kind of shot leaves a dead body for her to find.

The corpse is an entrepreneur who used dating apps with reckless abandon—breaking hearts along the way. The NYPD quickly arrests one of the heartbreaker’s recent conquests. But the suspect’s sister tearfully swears her sibling was framed. Clare not only finds reason to believe it, she fears the real killer will strike again.

Now Clare is “swiping” through suspects in her own shop—with the help of her globetrotting ex-husband, a man who’s spent his life hunting for coffee and women. Together they’re determined to find justice before another shot rings out.

 

My thoughts:  Anyone who has read this blog even for a minute knows that I am an avid coffee drinker and the Coffeehouse Mystery series is one of my favorite cozy series . . .  love it.   In fact, it is one of the only cozy series I am actually fully caught up on . . . oh sooooo many series that I am behind.

I love the setting of this series . . . in my mind it is an amazingly beautiful, quaint coffeeshop . . . it is warm, cozy, and I so wish I could visit this shop EVERY DAY!!

I also absolutely love the characters . . . every single one of them are fun, quirky, and each have their own unique personality that I love visiting over and over.

Now all this being said, all the techno computer dating app stuff that was the premise of this story just wasn’t my gig in that it just didn’t interest me, but it didn’t ruin it for me.

Now Cleo Coyle, dear author, can we have another book set in the Washington DC café?  Or better yet, how about a spin off series about the DC café? Yes, yes, yes!!

Overall, a wonderful addition to one of my favorite series!  Keep up the great work.

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather