Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery

Forever Fudge–review

September 24, 2018September 24, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the sixth book in the Candy-Coated series by Nancy CoCo (aka Nancy J. Parra, Nell Hampton) and I absolutely loved it! It was even more special since I started it while we were still on Mackinac Island last week and I could picture the various places mentioned. This series and another cozy series (Cycle Path by Duffy Brown) are what inspired me to visit Mackinac Island. I’m so anxious now for the next book to come out. The official release date for this one is September 25. My Kindle copy I purchased will arrive tonight at midnight!

I won a paperback advance copy of the book from one of the author’s giveaways on Facebook, but that in no way influenced my decision to review or the review I gave–all that was voluntary.

My Goodreads review:

Forever Fudge by Nancy CoCo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had the pleasure of starting this paperback ARC that I won from the author while I was vacationing on Mackinac Island! It was seriously too fun to be able to read and picture some of the places that Allie goes while sleuthing or on her daily rounds. I even visited the bookstore there and talked to the woman in charge who told me she thought the McMurphy was based on one of the hotels (I won’t mention which one, not sure if I’m allowed to) and probably others along Main Street as well. I will say that I bought fudge from this particular hotel and it was amazing!

In this installment taking place on Labor Day weekend, Mal sniffs out another murder right away, then soon a TV crew follows since they are filming a mystery series pilot on the island. Rex gets to be shadowed by an actor named Dirk who is supposed to play the police chief in the series. The clues after the first murder occurs are given in the form of chess game clues, and the clues and another murder seem to follow Allie’s previous case locations. Someone had to know her history of helping solve murders on the island, and Allie had her suspicions after a writer for the show said he’d been on the island since May when Allie herself had first arrived.

There was no shortage of suspects and I was really surprised at who the killer turned out to be as it definitely wasn’t who I had in mind. I love how the characters have developed since the first book. Jenn, Allie’s bestie has been on the island all summer (which has me a little confused wondering where the two Christmas novellas are supposed to come in if Allie has only been there since May and this book is taking place in September–maybe parallel time?) helping her with the hotel and running her own events planning service. It’s still up and down as far as the Trent vs. Rex guy-Allie-will-pick decision goes, although I think Allie is realizing that Trent’s heart isn’t really in the island as Rex’s is. I’m personally Team Rex myself, lol.

Two of my favorite characters were on their honeymoon, so they were definitely missed. Jenn and Shane are still an item even though Jenn had to go off to another job for awhile. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this awesome series! Now that I’ve been to Mackinac, I want to read the series again (as well as another cozy series that inspired me to want to visit Mackinac) with a new set of eyeballs that’s seen this amazing and magical place. I have most of the series on Kindle or iBooks. Maybe on my next Mackinac trip, I’ll get those in paperback since the cover art is always so cute–and it would make for the perfect souvenir.

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The Ghost and Mrs. McClure–review

September 24, 2018September 24, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Haunted Bookshop series by Alice Kimberley, who is half the writing team of Cleo Coyle. Alice and her husband Marc are continuing this series under their Cleo Coyle name. The latest book will be out September 25. I know I won’t be caught up by then, but I do plan to read this series in order and savor every minute of fun with the ghost of Jack Shepard.

My Goodreads review:

The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With the newest of this series coming out soon, I just had to start the series so I would know what the buzz about Jack Shepard was. I can definitely say I’m in love with that ghost, lol! What an amazing character! He and Pen worked well together as a sleuthing team…once he convinced her that she wasn’t crazy and that yes, she really could hear him in her brain. Jack talked her through a very cool sting operation to get the perp to confess. It worked and the person who killed the famous author in Pen’s store was in custody.

I really enjoyed the character of Pen’s son, Spencer. He wasn’t your typical kid. I imagined him as Young Sheldon only with a little more of a loving nature. I liked that he and Pen were strong enough to stand up to her late husband’s family and let them know that Spencer wasn’t going to cave and do what their McClure children did in high society. Spence loved the bookstore and helping his mom. I enjoyed the interaction of Aunt Sadie, although aside from Pen, Spencer and Jack, it’s pretty clear that as nice as she is, those three are the primary characters, at least in this book. The cookie bakery owners, Linda and Milner seemed like nice people. Milner was a good comic relief at times.

I can’t wait to read the next book. I really am going to make myself wait before I dig into the 6th book when it releases. I want to savor all the awesomeness that is Jack Shepard!

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A Tale of Two Biddies–review

September 23, 2018September 23, 2018 Tari Hann

This was the second book I read during our road trip and vacation last week. I read a total of six books, and I will be posting them here during the next few days. This was another fun installment in this series, League of Literary Ladies by Kylie Logan. I wanted to be caught up before our book discussion on the third book next month.

My Goodreads review:

A Tale of Two Biddies by Kylie Logan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the first book of this series that I read earlier this spring. When I found out one of the book groups I’m in on Facebook was going to discuss the third book in October, I thought that while I was on vacation last week I’d read the second book. I had already felt like I knew these ladies and they were friends I was going back to visit.

When Bea Cartwright found the body of a local guy named Richie, everyone wondered if he really had been killed as he’d feared ever since a few days before when he said he was pushed into the water. The town was having a Bastille themed festival, and that included a heavy-metal band named Guillotine. It turned out that Richie had a few secrets he’d been keeping, one which most likely led to his murder.

I was really surprised when the killer was revealed. It was a great plot twist! I can’t wait to read the next since it’s a Halloween theme!

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The Diva Runs Out of Thyme–review

September 23, 2018 Tari Hann

I’m just back from one of my new favorite places to go, Mackinac Island. My family and I took a road trip up there, and I also managed to get quite a bit of reading done this past week. The first book I read, or reread, according to what Goodreads had said, which was that I had read this book already. I honestly don’t remember reading it–maybe I got it mixed up with another book, haha! Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait till our Facebook book discussion September 25.

My Goodreads review:

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since I don’t really remember reading this in 2017 (but I had reviewed it here and it was marked as read) I’m going to write a better review after re-reading for a book club discussion this week.

Sophie Winston, a party planner and now a columnist of household and good life tips, had always been in some sort of competition with Natasha Smith, who was now living with Sophie’s ex-husband, Mars. Natasha seemed determined to win the stuffing competition. Earlier, Sophie had discovered a dead man in a dumpster who turned out to be a private investigator. She had adopted the kitten he’d approached her with when she was going into the grocery store. It wasn’t too much longer before Sophie stumbled onto another dead body, that of the man who was in charge of the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. It wasn’t looking good for her because Detective Kenner was ready to pin both murders on her. Detective Fleishman aka Wolf was more sympathetic and not so ready to toss her in jail. Sophie needed to prove her innocence and with the help of her good friend Nina, she set out to do just that.

This was a fun beginning to this series. There were a lot of different characters, but it became fairly easy to sort through and figure out which ones were important. I liked that Sophie had a good relationship with her parents as well as her ex-husband, Mars. Bickering is never fun, lol. I got a big kick out of Mars’ mom June who was totally crushing on one of Sophie’s neighbors, an older man named Colonel Hampstead. There were a lot of people keeping secrets and just as I thought I had it figured out, that person would be cleared. I honestly never saw the killer coming–and this was supposedly the second time I read this! (Maybe I will just use the excuse that going by the date I had down for reading this, I was either pre-op nervous or recovering from surgery when I read the first and that’s why I don’t remember!)

I do want to continue in the series. Natasha cracks me up. She might be a sort of nemesis for Sophie, but she’s pretty harmless. I’m anxious to see how things heat up between Sophie and Wolf too!

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Dying for Strawberries–review

September 14, 2018September 14, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Berry Basket series written by Sharon Farrow. It’s set in a small lake shore town in Michigan with quaint little shops and awesome older houses. All the shopkeepers enjoy the summer tourist trade, but that trade will be threatened in this story. I think you’ll enjoy reading this and finding out why.

I never knew I could loathe a couple of characters as much as I did the guy that ended up dead and a woman who came to town that Marlee, the main character had to deal with in her former career. I think it takes a skilled author to create characters that seem so real when they’re bad, that we really hope someone will do them in. 🙂

My Goodreads review:

Dying for Strawberries by Sharon Farrow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed my visit to the small lakeside town of Oriole Point, MI and could just picture the little shops and lakefront Victorian homes like Marlee lived in. It was very well-written and plotted and at times, kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to find out what would happen next.

Marlee Jacob (her family was a Dickens fan–I loved the play on Jacob Marley’s name) ran the Berry Basket shop in town along and like a lot of her neighboring shops, depending on tourist trade. When a local man, who wasn’t very well liked to begin with, announced at a town council meeting that he now owned 30 acres that the zoning commission had voted to zone as commercial–and that he was going to allow big box stores to come and build, someone in town took matters into their own hands. He was found dead in his home by Marlee and her friend Tess. Since the mayor’s wife had gone ballistic and punched him at the meeting, she was arrested for the murder.

Marlee was curious as to how the entire zoning commission, all of which were longtime residents of Oriole Point and supposedly shared the same belief that tourist trade was their sole income, could have possibly decided to allow a zoning change for something that would no doubt bankrupt many of the merchants. Could blackmail or bribery have been going on? After a brush with death herself, Marlee was still determined to find out the truth, and to complicate matters, someone from her past was in town trying to make Marlee’s life a living nightmare.

I wasn’t sure at all who the killer was in this and I loved the showdown because it was exciting with a great twist to it. The killer got hauled to prison and Marlee was somewhat of a hero to a very unlikely person, who, because of who they were, turned the tables to look like they were the big hero. Marlee didn’t care, she was alive and she’d helped prevent someone else’s death. The mayor’s wife was cleared of all charges and announced that her helper for the next event in town would be Marlee! I’m guessing this will be the story of the next book, which I definitely plan to read.

I really enjoyed the characters for the most part. Marlee and her fiance’ have an odd relationship. She’d found out something about him that he hadn’t seemed to think was important to tell her, he’s awfully jealous of a local guy who was Marlee’s boyfriend in high school and was really just a nice and goofy friend to her now. It’ll be interesting if they pick back up where they were or if he realizes he should have come clean with her about his past. I’m not a fan of birds as pets at all, but I have to admit I really enjoyed Minnie the parrot that Marlee adopted at her Aunt Vicki’s insistence. There were a lot of different characters, so I hope in the next book we can get to know the main characters just a little bit better. I do like the main characters, but I don’t feel like I know them quite as well as I thought I should by the end of the book. I did still enjoy it and want to read the next one!

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If the Coffin Fits–review

September 12, 2018September 12, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Funeral Parlor Mysteries by Lillian Bell. It was just released yesterday, which is when I was finishing up the first book so I could lead into this one. I think I really appreciated this book more by reading the first book first. I am so not going to be able to wait until the next book comes out, they just get better! Oh and I encourage you to read the acknowledgements at the end of the book. It was really interesting to hear about the author’s research on funeral parlors and how Orion is someone to her in real life!

Note on the dog picture: This is as close as I could find in the free-use pictures Google showed me of what Orion, a Malamute-Shepherd cross might look like when he’s a little older.

My Goodreads review:

If the Coffin Fits by Lillian Bell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This. Was. So. Good. I am so glad that I requested this from NetGalley to voluntarily read and review. I’m also glad I read the first book, not that this book gives any spoilers because it definitely doesn’t. But I still had the fun of getting to know the characters from the beginning, and even though jumping in at book 2 wouldn’t be bad, I really enjoyed reading them in order so much!

When Desiree suspected one of the funeral home’s clients of murder, she was pretty much on her own to figure out why and how she’d done it. She did have her sorta-boyfriend Nate’s help since he was county ME, but Luke at the police station was used to looking at her like she was just crazy. Desiree found evidence that one of their deceased clients had been blackmailing quite a few of the community members, which just had to tie in with that client’s own death, she hesitated bringing that evidence to Luke for fear he’d just laugh at her. Being shot at made Desiree realize she was getting close…could she solve this without causing her sister to go into premature labor or get killed herself?

I never thought a series set in a funeral parlor would be this good and so interesting! It’s really not much about the place itself but the clients they serve and how some of the deaths can end up being murder. I loved that in this book Desiree found a dog to adopt, Uncle Joey found a lady friend and more about Desiree’s dad was revealed. Now I really can’t wait till the next book!

I actually did figure this one out! There was a tiny clue very early on that I picked up on and remembered. It was fun to see how this played out and the perp got caught. The showdown wasn’t physically exciting, but it was more calm excitement worthy of any that I’ve seen on TV crime/cop shows.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book which was released this week.

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A Grave Issue–review

September 12, 2018September 12, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Funeral Parlor Mysteries series by Lillian Bell which is a pen name for author Kristi Abbott of the Popcorn Shop Mystery series. This is one of the most unusual jobs I’ve run across for a cozy mystery sleuth, but it’s pretty cool! I think you’ll really enjoy it.

My Goodreads review:

A Grave Issue by Lillian Bell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m getting ready to read the second book of this series, so I thought since I had the first book on my Kindle that I might want to read it first. This book does well as a stand alone, but I think it might be a little more enjoyable to read this book first. I love that there’s a side mystery concerning Desiree and Donna’s father that will go on into the next book.

Kyle, the man that Desiree had relied on as a second father, had been arrested for his neighbor’s murder simply because his gun had been used. Setting out to clear her good friend’s name, Desiree found that the dead banker might not be the pillar of society that he was made out to be. There were a lot of secrets that people had which made for plenty of suspects. I know that I didn’t guess who it was.

The side mystery was that someone was leaving little gifts for Desiree and Donna, only gifts that their dad, who had been presumed dead and lost while surfing, would know. Desiree even bought a little security camera to attempt to catch the person on video while they brought their gifts. Was their dad really still alive? If so, why had he hidden from them for the last sixteen months–and why did he have a storage locker that was prepaid for two years? I can’t wait to dig into the next book, no funeral pun intended there at all!

I do like the main characters a lot. Uncle Joey is the funeral director, and Desiree is the assistant. We really didn’t get to have Joey “on screen” much, but could still learn a lot about him from context and what people said. Desiree also has not two but three guys interested in her, although Officer Luke Butler didn’t really pursue her as much as Nate and Rafe did. I’m anxious to spend some more time with these characters and this slightly unusual profession for a cozy amateur sleuth!

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Read and Gone–review

September 10, 2018September 10, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Haunted Library series that is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. I love how the author combines different holidays with Carrie’s family and fun things they do, not simply going through the motions. These people know how to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, and birthdays too! I love books that are set around Christmas anyway, and this one includes a big gem hunt as well.

My Goodreads review:

Read and Gone by Allison Brook

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was just as good and maybe even a little more exciting than the first one since there were different people going after some stolen gems since a huge reward was being offered by the owners.

Carrie Singleton’s dad Jim was back in town, and Carrie was worried that he was still up to no good since his line of worked happened to be stealing things. He was actually back for his half of the gems he helped a friend steal. Only when his friend turned up dead and he happened to be at the scene, Jim was taken in for questioning. He was let go into Carrie’s custody, but with another rough thug in town and a couple more murders, it seemed like no one was safe. Even Carrie herself was whacked on the head while looking for the gems–had she found them, she was going to turn them over to Dylan, her insurance investigator boyfriend who would take them to the rightful owner. In the meantime, Christmas is in full swing at the library with parties, programs and finally the staff party. Smokey Joe, who belonged to Carrie but was the library cat, was having a feast racing through the library since a family of mice had been born.

Everything wrapped up nice and clean at the end with an awesome Christmas Eve feast at Harriet and Bosco’s house. I hadn’t quite guessed the killer this time. This was a really well-plotted and at times seemed like a little bit of a confusing mystery, but it was all explained eventually. I love books that take place at Christmas and I could just picture the library tree and decorations as well as Carrie’s Christmas tree. I can’t wait for the next book since Carrie is in a really good place with Dylan and even in her relationship with her dad.

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A Knit Before Dying–review

September 10, 2018 Tari Hann

I had read this second book in the Tangled Web series in August 2017 as an advance reader’s copy and can’t believe it took me over a year to get to the first one which I posted just before this. Here’s my original Goodreads review below. I’m not sure if re-reads count towards Goodreads’ challenge, but I do want to read this one again. There’s just something endearing about the town and its characters, yep even the “cantankerous old coot” Uncle Eb, as Josie lovingly calls him.

My Goodreads review: (from August 13, 2017)

A Knit before Dying by Sadie Hartwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Josie Blair who owns Miss Marple Knits as well as the store and apartment next to it, is excited when her new business neighbor and tenant starts moving in. Lyndon and his business partner, Harry (still out on a buying trip), are going to run Nutmeg Antiques and Curiosities. Lyndon also rented the apartment upstairs for himself. But there’s a huge problem when Lyndon ends up dead, stabbed with an antique sheep shears and Josie comes into the shop to find Harry standing over the body. So of course poor Harry gets hauled off to jail but hasn’t been charged yet. Josie feels compelled to investigate and she’s lucky that Sharla, the lead officer on the case, is also a good friend so there isn’t any butting of heads. Lyndon’s niece Taylor and a whole cast of extras show up to toss in all the appropriate twists and fun turns that make this a really well-written mystery.

This was a very fun mystery to read because I felt like all the characters, even though I have not yet read the first book, seemed like family. The author does a good job of explaining who is who so that this could be read as a stand-alone. But I do want to read the first one and see a little of the history of Josie coming to Dorset Falls. I always enjoy cozies that have a crafting element. I don’t knit (like Josie) but I wouldn’t be opposed to learning.

All the twists, turns and back stories along with a fun side mention that talks about Josie’s best friend Lorna and her dream of having her own cafe, add to the intrigue. One hint, if you think the story is done, well think again! Oh and the epilogue is epic–very cute and trying to make you think one thing when it’s really something else. I caught on to the something else fairly quickly but I didn’t guess the perp of the story, oh well. I’ll definitely be reading the first one in this series and any others that come out. I want to visit Dorset Falls again!

I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing.

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Yarned and Dangerous–review

September 10, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Tangled Web series written by Sadie Hartwell who is also known as Susannah Hardy of the three-book series, Greek to Me Mysteries. I had read the second book as an ARC, but I will go ahead and post my Goodreads review as a blog post after this one, since I’m planning to re-read it. I have no idea if there’s a third Tangled Web book in the works, but I sure hope there is!

My Goodreads review:

Yarned and Dangerous by Sadie Hartwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh this was so good! This was a series I’d read out of order since I read the second book sometime last year as an advance copy. It wasn’t really necessary to read this one first, but I had been wanting to go visit with Josie and Uncle Eb to see how things got started. I am sooo hoping there’s going to be a third book to this series!

Josie Blair was called to her uncle Eb’s side to help him out while her mom went on a much-needed cruise. His wife Cora had been killed in a car accident a couple of weeks ago, and Josie’s job was to inventory in her yarn shop and get it sold. Eb had broken his leg in the accident and needed help around the house as well. When Josie got to Dorset Falls, CT, she remembered what a nice little town it was, even though a certain few people seemed to have it in for her. The next door neighbor Mitch was easy on the eyes as well as being a huge help with her uncle and give Josie herself some morale support. Josie made a couple of new friends in Evelyn and Helen who were part of a charity knitting group that Cora had started. Some people were keeping secrets and Josie was hoping she could at least find a notebook that Cora had which could point to the killer.

I actually did guess the killer but not right away. Since I’d read the second book, I knew a few people that it couldn’t have been though. 😉 I just love grouchy Uncle Eb, he’s like a grumpy old bear, but I know down deep he loves Josie, and the same way with her. They just needle each other like they did when she was a kid and visited him. I love how the friendship with Josie and Mitch is starting slowly and just developing so sweet. I really do need to reread the second book to find out what characters might have been added. I vaguely remember the case but I think it’s just an excuse for me to go back to visit in Dorset Falls for awhile.

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