A Blue Ribbon Murder review

Tari Hann

This is the sixth book in the Urban Tails Pet Shop series by cat-loving cozy mystery author, Toni T.C. LoTempio. Just a note, the incorrect author page and no series page were given for this book’s listing on Goodreads. The author page I linked is the one with Ms. Toni’s picture of her with Rocco which is the only official GR page for her that I know of and the same one I’ve always used for blog links. The series link leads to the Amazon page, but I’m not an affiliate, so click without worry.

As always, the Urban Tails Pet Shop mystery never lets me down as far as a good and intriguing mystery along with plenty of kitties to pretend I can pet and love on, especially sweet Purrday! Such is the life of someone with cat allergies lol. Purrday usually gets to be the hero but he’s always been a hero in  my book! Sorry Purrday, I couldn’t find a picture online of a noble one-eyed cat so we’ll just say this was you before whatever happened. 

#NetGalley #BeyondthePage #TCLoTempio

My Goodreads review:

A Blue Ribbon Murder (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries Book 6)A Blue Ribbon Murder by T. C. LoTempio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shell and her former TV co-star Gary were at their sleuthing best again and it was kinda like they never left their show. Except for this was real life with real perps and weapons. Gary always cracks me up with his sometimes-goofiness, but he’s a true friend and I love how he can remain a good pal to Shell but be a boyfriend to Shell’s bestie, Olivia.

Pet shows can always be a hotbed of drama and mystery, at least in cozy mysteries lol, so this cat show was no exception when the director of the show was murdered. Any number of people could’ve wanted the woman dead, so Shell and Gary put on their A-game of sleuthing again, and once more sweet Purrday was the hero. He probably liked sleuthing a lot better than having to compete in the show anyway! A one-eyed cat might not be show worthy, but Purrday always gets his perp!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Beyond the Page via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

The Barn Identity review

Tari Hann

This is the eighth book in the House-Flipper Mysteries by Diane Kelly, and I’ve enjoyed every book since the very beginning. I’m hoping this series continues because I can only picture the awesome adventures Whitney could have as a mom and carpenter. Little Sawdust is gonna be the bestest big brother! 

#NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #DianeKelly

My Goodreads review:

The Barn Identity (House-Flipper Mystery #8)The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sawdust was getting a human sibling soon and I’m betting he’ll be the sweetest kitty brother ever. But first Whitney had to get through a remodel with her cousin while helping the detective in charge of a murder at said remodel find the killer. I knew which of the possible suspects I wanted to see as the guilty party, so I was pretty pleased with the outcome.

The very ending was super sweet and let’s just say Sawdust is now a proud cat brother to a sweet little baby. It was so funny to hear various people Whitney would run into who wanted to tell her just how she could determine if she was having a boy or a girl. I can’t wait to see what kinds of adventures follow.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin Paperback/Minotaur via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

Truffle Trouble review

Tari Hann

This is the tenth book in the long-running Amish Candy Shop Mysteries by Amanda Flower, and I’ve enjoyed every book, some more than others, but one thing’s always consistent: Jethro the pig and his adorable but mischievous antics. Wait’ll you see what the little oinker got up to in this book! 

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #AmandaFlower

My Goodreads review:

Truffle Trouble (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery)Truffle Trouble by Amanda Flower
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always enjoy a good Jethro the pig escapade and this time he had several moments of fame. Needless to say, he was the star of the wedding reception, but I don’t think Bailey minded at all. It wouldn’t’ve been weirder if he didn’t get into something, the li’l cutie!

When someone was killed during the reception and all eyes were on the local café owner, Bailey knew she needed to find the real killer to save her friend’s good name. I always get a big kick outta Lois and how she and Millie are good friends. She was a hoot especially when Bailey’s mentor Jean Pierre was in town and they seemed to be growing closer. More wedding bells? It’ll be interesting to see!

Good old JP was cracking me up with his investigation and being Bailey’s sidekick. I hadn’t guessed the killer and I enjoyed the showdown where once more Jethro had a hand, er hoof in it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

If Books Could Kill review

Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Tomes & Tea Mysteries by Karen Rose Smith, an awesome spin-off of her Daisy’s Tea Garden Mysteries with the MC Jazzi being none other than Daisy’s now-grown daughter. Of course Jazzi practically grew up with her mom amateur sleuthing, so this li’l apple doesn’t fall far from her momma’s tree! 

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #KarenRoseSmith

My Goodreads review:

 

If Books Could Kill (Tomes & Tea Mysteries #3)If Books Could Kill by Karen Rose Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve really enjoyed this spin-off series from Daisy’s Tea Garden and was happy to see a very special guest as a brief part of this book. Jazzi had her work cut out for her both at the bookstore and trying to find who killed her librarian friend. She managed to make a new friend in the process and help said new friend find someone she hadn’t seen in a long time. After a scary showdown with a killer where Jazzi definitely held her own, I’m sure she’s totally ready to take a nice long vacation.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

The Bark Before the Dawn review

Tari Hann

This is the fourth book in the Magical Menagerie mystery series by Sarah Fox whose Pancake House series is one of her other cozy mystery series. I’ve loved this series from its beginning and it’s gotten only better with each addition. I highly recommend reading the series in order for the best and most fun experience.

#NetGalley #SarahFox #SevernHouse

My Goodreads review:

The Bark Before the Dawn (A Magical Menagerie Mystery, 4)The Bark Before the Dawn by Sarah Fox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Something about the ending almost made it sound like the final book, but I sure hope that’s not the case. If it really is, it was wrapped up just perfectly, although I think Georgie and Callum along with two amazing spaniels still have lotsa mysteries to solve.

This was a stumper of a mystery and seemed multi-layered in some ways. There were definitely plenty of suspects to pick from but only one had killed someone, and as always, the spaniels along with awesome Euclid got to help with the takedown. I absolutely loved the ending and really, really hope there’s more books being planned!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Severn House, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

Buried in a Book review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Cozy Bookshop Mysteries by T.C. LoTempio, another fave cozy author and author of several cozy mystery series. I loved the first book and absolutely devoured this one! Can’t wait for the next one. I just love that Poe kitty! 

#NetGalley #SevernHouse #TCLoTempio

My Goodreads review:

Buried in a Book (A Cozy Bookshop Mystery 2)Buried in a Book by T.C. LoTempio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed getting to know Charley and her friends better in this book, although honestly at the end of the last book they’d seemed like old friends, so this was a good reunion. Maybe it’s because the local detective and high school nemesis of Charley is named Barbara Jeanne that makes me think of a certain older TV show character by that name, lol.

This turned out to be a more involved case than Charley ever could’ve imagined. Sometimes she did make me a little impatient when she’d refuse to take something to the police first, but she’s a stickler for playing by the amateur sleuth rules of “I’ll be fine.” I absolutely love Poe, Charley’s awesome cat with special abilities not much different from Purrday in another of the author’s series. Poe sure came in handy several times and even in the showdown. I liked the cute ending of the book and can’t wait for the next one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Severn House via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.



View all my reviews

Easter Egg Murder review

Tari Hann

This is the latest seasonal anthology from Kensington that always includes three favorite cozy mystery authors and their latest offerings in their series as in-between novellas. As always, there was murder and mayhem but plenty of Easter shenanigans. This is a great way to get your fix for these series before their next book comes out.

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #LeslieMeier #LeeHollis #PeggyEhrhart

My Goodreads review:

Easter Egg Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #31.6)Easter Egg Murder by Leslie Meier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

These were three fun Easter-themed murder mysteries from three of our fave cozy mystery authors who’ve been appearing together in these seasonal collections for several years now. Lucy Stone’s story kicked off the trio with a trip to France where she met up with an unlikely sleuth partner. It was kinda cool to see Lucy talking to someone besides Bill about a mystery.

Hayley Powell’s story as always was fun and funny—we even got a couple of my favorite things about the series, what I call Sergio-isms and his innocent stumbling over some words. He’s such an awesome character and brother-in-law to Hayley who again faced off with a killer proving something was definitely rotten in Bar Harbor.

Pamela and Bettina sleuthed together again and faced off with another killer after Pamela figured it all out. There was an extra awesome ending for this story too giving the Knit and Nibblers yet another reason for celebration.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor review

Tari Hann

This is the first book in a brand new series called Welsh Village by Lucy Connelly, a cozy mystery author known for her Scottish Isle and Mercy McCarthy mysteries. While I haven’t yet read any of those, I have a few in each series. After reading this book, I plan to dig into her other series while I wait for the next book in this series. 

#NetGalley #CrookedLane #LucyConnelly

My Goodreads review:

The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor (A Welsh Village Mystery)The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed meeting Gwen and all her supporting characters in this book. I also really appreciate the author making it clear which guy ended up with Gwen too. For a while I kinda suspected a possible triangle but after a point in the book, I had a feeling she wasn’t gonna subject us to a triangle. And the ending proved that right.

I loved how Gwen and her teaching assistant Ellis were researching and ended up sleuthing when one of the professors from Gwen’s new department was killed. After some scary notes and creepy stalkers, Gwen faced off with a killer and got the upper hand just in time. The ending was so cool and now I can’t wait to read the next book. I have some of this author’s other books, but “so many books, so little time” always kicks in and this ARC is actually the first I’ve read from her, and I liked it a lot!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

A Whiff of Murder review

Tari Hann

This is the first book in the new Sixth Sense Mysteries* by Angela M. Sanders, and it’s a spinoff from her Witch Way Librarian series. The main character in this book, Lise, had an important role to play in the last Witch Way book, so it’s good to see her in her very own series. I did miss the presence of a cat in this series. Josie’s got Rodney, her amazing magical cat, so I hope maybe Lise gets either a dog or cat eventually. I really loved the residents of Blavatsky Manor, and what they all had in common was pretty unique and funny at times.

I’m not a fan of this cover at all, and had I not already known I liked this author’s work, and that it was a spin-off, I might’ve passed on it simply due to the cover, in fact I did the first time around. This cover’s really not typical of the cozies I’ve read from Kensington. But the story inside is what counts and I thoroughly enjoyed that.

*I linked the series name to the book’s Amazon page which is the only place I could find the series mentioned. There isn’t a series page on Amazon or Goodreads. The link isn’t an affiliate link.

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #AngelaMSanders

My Goodreads review:

A Whiff of Murder (A Sixth Sense Mystery)A Whiff of Murder by Angela M. Sanders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed getting to know Lise better in this book. She’d appeared in the most recent book in the Witch Way Librarian series the author also has. Lise and Josie had gone through something epic and magical which rid the town of a real baddie. Then in this spinoff she ended up in Astoria, Oregon which I found out is a real town.

Lise probably had no idea she’d end up meeting such an amazing group of new friends, quirky but true friends who had each other’s backs during their amateur sleuthing when Lise’s boss was killed at the store she worked in. I had an idea of whodunit after hearing a clue of how Lise’s boss Dyann was killed, but I didn’t have the right perp at first.

Everyone played a good part in bringing justice to Dyann, especially Fran who’d previously suffered a major embarrassment of her own. I really enjoyed how the friendships grew throughout the book and how the characters renting rooms from Teddy evolved into a little family. I’m eager now to read the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews

The Whisking Hour review

Tari Hann

This is the 22nd book in the long-running Bakeshop Mysteries by Ellie Alexander, a fave cozy author of many and author of other cozy mystery series I’ve read and loved as well. When there’s a murder in Ashland, you better believe Jules and crew (meaning actually Lance recruiting Jules to sleuth) are gonna be sleuthing it out. What could possibly go wrong?

#NetGalley #St.MartinPaperbacks #MinotaurBooks #EllieAlexander

My Goodreads review:

The Whisking Hour (Bakeshop Mystery #22)The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Poor Lance sure had his hands full with the cast and crew members of the latest show. The director was causing all kinds of chaos among the cast, but who was upset enough to snap and kill someone? There were plenty of suspects. I hadn’t really decided on one, but I definitely was leaning toward the one who ended up as the killer. Jules doesn’t have long until baby time, so now I’m eager to read the next book and see if it’s happening then.

I loved the nod toward the end to one of the author’s other series. It was pretty hilarious and so appropriate how a character from that was connected to one in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin/Minotaur via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


View all my reviews