BONUS REVIEW: Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke has been managing the family diner – The Bear Claw – in Elkview, Alaska, for about a year. Her main cook, Oliver, is a chef who trained in Paris. She has a circle of staff and friends who pitch in any time a tour bus threatens to overwhelm the smallish diner. And locals and tourists alike love the food, from the mooseloaf to the “grilled cheese extravaganza” to the cherry cheesecake mousse.

Charlie and Oliver were having something of a verbal tug-of-war over the diner menu. He wanted to remove the mousse from their offerings. She wanted to add chocolate to their signature bear claws. Sure, they had argued, and he had stormed off. But that was just what it was like sometimes when working with Oliver. When Oliver doesn’t return, Charlie calls in other staff to cover, figuring Oliver’s pout will be over soon. But no one at the diner is prepared for the news that Oliver was murdered.

Charlie’s shouting match with Oliver makes her a suspect, although not a serious one. But knowing how overloaded Alaskan law enforcement tends to be, Charlie and her friends decide to help track down a killer.

Review


This was fun! I loved the Alaskan setting as well as the diner. Both gave an opening for interesting characters and events in the story. I enjoyed Charlie and her sleuthing partner, Chris. The relationship with law enforcement in this book is fun. Trooper is willing to let Charlie and friends help as long as they are smart and careful. The deputizing routine is a hoot, especially in the end.

The cast of characters working in the diner were fun. Their camaraderie reminds me a little of the Bakeshop series crew in the early part of the series when we were getting to know everyone. I’m eager to see how this crew develops over time. There’s lots of potential for future stories and character development in this group. And Charlie’s relationship with her cat, Benny, was sweet, with some clever and unique twists that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The mystery was good. I had a suspect in mind super early on, but it was the wrong one. But I latched onto the right one about 2/3 of the way through the book. It was satisfying to watch the reveal come together in the end and find out I was right.

This was a great series kick off. Cozy mystery fans should not miss this one. Fans of culinary mysteries should add this to their TBR piles. There are two recipes included at the end of the book. Book 2, Fishing for Trouble, will be releasing later in 2020.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Theater Nights Are Murder by Libby Klein

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Immediately on the heels of her last adventure (Restaurant Weeks Are Murder – ♥♥♥♥♥), Poppy has a decision to make. Tim asked her – in front of everyone – to “give it a go” with him once again. Their history together as teens and her questions of what might have been if things had been different make his offer tempting.

At the same time, she feels a huge attraction to Gia. He was standing there when Tim made his plea. Why couldn’t she decide which of the two men she wanted to be with?

Thankfully, the Senior Center’s production of Momma Mia!, and Aunt Ginny’s reconciliation with an old flame is the perfect distraction. Poppy’s been coerced to help with lights for the show. It needs some help as it’s been suffering through everything from egos run amok to deliberate acts of sabotage. But when someone dies, and the police rule it a suicide, Poppy and her elderly friends think the ruling is a mistake. And sleuthing makes another great distraction from a love triangle.

Review


The mystery in this one is terrific! There are so many things going on here – the sabotage at the play, the death, and also someone trying to ruin Poppy’s businesses (both the B&B and her baking). And I loved watching Poppy and the “biddies” (4 elderly ladies, including Poppy’s Aunt Ginny) puzzle them all out. I didn’t laugh in this one as much as I have with the past books, but there were still several fun moments.

The love triangle is infuriating, though. I feel like Poppy’s choice is ridiculously clear (although I know others disagree with me on the choice – and they think their choice is clear, too.). Only one of these two guys encourages her to be comfortable in her own skin and encourages her for her own purposes. The other one is self-absorbed and selfish. Poppy has been a means to an end for him more times than not. I can’t for the life of me figure out why this choice isn’t more clear to her or why the author insists on dragging this out. When this book ended essentially right back where the last one did, I was frustrated enough to growl out loud. This is the only thing I am not enjoying about this series, but I am starting to lose patience on this front. If it doesn’t resolve soon, I will forgo the fantastic mysteries to bypass the drawn out love triangle.

If you don’t mind a love triangle, don’t miss this series because the characters are fantastic and the mysteries are top notch!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Winona Mae Montgomery is trying to save the Smythe Orchard. It’s been in her family for decades, and her grandmother has been trying to keep it afloat on her own for three years since the death of Winnie’s grandfather.

Winnie is close to finishing her business degree, and she has great ideas about year-round activities they could run at the orchard to help bring in money. Her main goal is to start a cider shop with her own special recipes. She just has to convince the loan officer at the bank to trust her instincts and plans.

The dead body in the apple press doesn’t do anything to help Winnie’s loan application.

As the victim was their neighbor, and Granny Smythe’s nemesis, the new sheriff pegs Winnie’s grandmother as his primary suspect for the murder. If Winnie is going to protect her grandmother, save the orchard, and secure her bank loan, she’s going to have to find the real killer on her own.

Review


Fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed the kickoff to this new series by Julie Anne Lindsey. The West Virginia setting – a small town, an apple orchard, etc. – was nice. Winnie and her grandmother are great cozy characters – great neighbors, people everyone cares about and wants to help. The potential romance has a nice start up here (although I hope the distraction disappears soon – maybe in book 2!). These are definitely characters I would spend time with again.

The mystery was top notch! I felt like all of my questions were answered in the solution. My guesses were completely wrong, so I enjoyed the end reveal. The situation escalated for Winnie at a perfect pace to ratchet up the suspense. I never felt like it was too much or too fast or too slow or that the story elements were out of balance with the mystery.

I became a fan of the author with her Geek Girl Mystery series, and this just reinforced that. Don’t miss this Christmas season mystery. And be sure to watch for book 2, Pulp Friction, out next spring.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles by Leslie Budewitz

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and Midnight Ink in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Christmas has come to Jewel Bay, Montana. Erin is working on making sure her family business, Murphy’s Mercantile, has a profitable holiday season. She’s also awaiting the arrival of a new niece or nephew and finalizing plans for her Christmas Eve wedding.

When Merrily Thornton returns to Jewel Bay looking for a second chance with her family, Erin sees a woman only a few years older than she is who needs a good friend. As a teen, Merrily went to prison for embezzling money from a local business. Merrily’s parents were so mortified by her behavior, they disowned her. Almost 20 years later, Merrily hoped they might find it in their hearts to forgive her and get to know the college-aged granddaughter they had never met. But Walt and Taya Thornton want nothing to do with Merrily or her family.

Erin invites Merrily to a holiday cookie exchange, but Merrily never arrives. She’s later found dead. It looks like Merrily started up her money tricks again when her employer discovers money missing from the business. But Erin doesn’t believe Merrily would do that. She’s not even sure Merrily did it the first time. Erin will have to pull out her Spreadsheet of Suspicion once again to track down the killer and the truth.

Review


This was terrific! I read book one when it first came out, but I haven’t been able to keep up with the rest of the series. Now I have to go back and get caught up because this was so fun! I had no trouble following the story without having read the previous books, although several references to earlier events did make me want to catch up soon.

The characters are great – and there are LOTS of them. Like any good cozy, you want the reader to care about the whole community. The author does a great job of creating a full, rich cast and setting while keep the focus on the mystery. I loved Erin and her family and friends. They are people I would hang out with, and Jewel Bay is a place I would love to visit.

The mystery was great. I was able to puzzle out the killer, but not until Erin was putting the last few pieces together. The pacing of the mystery was excellent. Things moved at a comfortable rate and there were no lagging spots that made it hard for me to pick the book back up when I had to set it aside. I was always eager to get back to everything – the characters, Jewel Bay, the wedding plans, and the mystery.

This is book 5 in the series. It’s a little earlier in the year than I usually dive into a Christmas book, but it such a fun story, I found it refreshing. I can’t wait to catch up on all of Erin’s adventures that I have missed.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Calamity Cafe by Gayle Leeson

Summary


A new culinary mystery series. Amy wants so much more for her life than waitressing at Lou’s Joint. She has culinary training. She has ideas about decorations, ambiance, and food far above what she serves at Lou’s. Amy offers to buy out the restaurant so she can build her dream. But Lou Lou, the owner, won’t have it. Unfortunately when Amy later finds Lou Lou dead, she is suspect number one!

Calamity Cafe

Review


This is the first book in the series, and I really enjoyed it. Amy’s community is well-defined and likable. I’d be happy to enjoy more stories with this crew.  Amy’s sleuthing evolves naturally from her fear of being arrested, even though law enforcement says they are following other leads. The solution is logical and I predicted the killer, although there were a couple other possibilities that seemed legit.

For me, if the solution to the mystery is sound, I’m satisfied with the book. But if the characters are enjoyable, too, I become a fan and will keep following the series. I am a fan of the Down South Cafe series! I can’t wait for book 2!!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Book two, Silence of the Jams, is expected to release on April 4, 2017. (Release days subject to change)

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent who also writes the Embroidery Mysteries under the name Amanda Lee. I’m looking forward to reading her other books after seeing how great this book was.