Tag: amateur sleuths

Eight Enchanting Elixirs review

Tari Hann

This is the eighth (as indicated by the title) book in the Kitchen Witch mysteries by Lynn Cahoon, and I’ve enjoyed every book from the beginning including all the fun little half-step books in between. I hope it’s not the end but the way it wrapped up, it wouldn’t surprise me. Everything was in a great place though and happy endings were enjoyed by all those who deserved them.

#KensingtonCozies #NetGalley #LynnCahoon

My Goodreads review:

Eight Enchanting Elixirs (Kitchen Witch Mysteries, #8)Eight Enchanting Elixirs by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the way this book ended, I’m guessing it’s the last one in the series. I hope I’m wrong but everything was just wrapped up so nicely from the main murder in the story to some other side mysteries. There were some fun revelations in the book too and by the time I read the Acknowledgments after the book, I could infer from what the author said that this was the happily ever after book of the series.

What an awesome book hangover! It’s just too bad the previous fun covers were changed. Now these new book covers look like every other magical story out there, kinda meh. If I was new to reading the series, I wouldn’t be drawn in by them. At least the old covers still exist here on Goodreads.

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

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Savvy Summers and the Po’Boy Perils review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in this fun new series, Savvy Summers, by Sandra Jackson-Opoku, and I’m absolutely in love with the series and its awesome characters. I loved this second book as much maybe more than the first and can’t wait for more.

Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils: A Mystery (Savvy Summers Mysteries Book 2)Savvy Summers and the Po’boy Perils: A Mystery by Sandra Jackson-Opoku
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really liked the first book but wow this one blew it away! I really liked the older homeless-looking guy with his dog he was training to use a communications system. That dog was something else and super smart. And Penny always cracks me up with her never-ending obscure musical knowledge and crazy singing, lol.

Savvy’s good friend was being accused of killing her employee, but Savvy knew the woman wasn’t capable of killing anyone so she felt she needed to take this into her own hands. Although facing off with a killer who confessed to poisoning two people wasn’t exactly on Savvy’s to-do list. I loved how the showdown played out after being tense at first. And there was an epic plot twist toward the end making sad tears turn to happy ones. I’m really eager now for the next book and to see how Essie’s 2.0 shakes out.

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


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A Delicious Deception review

Tari Hann

This is the sixteenth book in the long running Key West Food Critic mysteries by Lucy Burdette and while I’m not as caught up on the earlier books as I’d like to be, I’ve stayed up to date reading the ARCs for the last several years. There were all the emotions in this book and now I’m eager to see what happens in the next book.

#NetGalley #CrookedLane #LucyBurdette

My Goodreads review:

A Delicious Deception (Key West Food Critic Mystery #16)A Delicious Deception by Lucy Burdette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hayley sure had her hands full this time around mainly trying to stay calm and get ready to give birth in roughly a week or so. But being Hayley, she wasn’t about to just sit around unless she absolutely needed to. I loved how her friend Miss Gloria and Gloria’s friend Annie helped out with the sleuthing. At least Hayley’s riding in style with a car these days since it’s safer for her and the baby, lol. No more chasing baddies on a scooter but she was okay with that.

The last part of the book had some super sad, and super happy moments, all accompanied by the people who meant the most to Hayley especially sweet Nathan and their new little resident. I can’t wait for more adventures with these characters, it’s just beginning!

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


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A Cultivated Corpse review

Tari Hann

This is the ninth book in the Food Blogger Mysteries by cozy mystery author Debra Sennefelder, and I’ve had the fun of reading it from the beginning which I recommend for a more enjoying experience and getting relationship updates–all the awesome stuff that’s so much better when you start from the beginning. Hope’s always got a million plates spinning at once, it’s a wonder she doesn’t see herself coming and going, lol, and this mystery’s no exception. There’s some good intrigue and all our fave characters.

#NetGalley #DebraSennefelder #BeyondthePage

My Goodreads review:

A Cultivated CorpseA Cultivated Corpse by Debra Sennefelder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There was lotsa garden club drama going on here and from the way they’d had enough of it from an internal standpoint, it’s just a good thing the town didn’t have more than one club. Somebody would’ve been killed long before this, lol. Hope took her duties as a new member seriously, but after their fearless leader was killed, she added sleuthing back into the tons of plates she seems to juggle all the time.

Once more Hope found herself facing off with a killer in a remote place in a building, but she used her brains and all she had to do was keep the person talking and shake ‘em up a bit. Drew always cracks me up when he and Hope go sleuthing, and he was on his A-game once more. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book now after Hope’s statement at the end.

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


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The Chowder House Murder review

Tari Hann

This is the first in a new series, Downeast Maine Mysteries by Lee Hollis, the brother/sister writing team of Rick Copp and Holly Simason. I’ve enjoyed their Hayley Powell series for years now and also like Maya & Sandra as well as the Desert Flowers series, so I knew this series would be fun, full of quirky characters–and it really was. I’m eager for the next book now.

#NetGalley #LeeHollis #KensingtonCozies

My Goodreads review:

The Chowder House Murder (Downeast Maine Mystery #1)The Chowder House Murder by Lee Hollis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed meeting Maggie, Audrey and Jill who seemed to sorta be co-main characters which was pretty cool since with third person it’s easy to slip into another person’s lead. There were some other interesting characters like Iggy the coroner. That guy made me laugh and I couldn’t help picturing him as John Belushi’s “Animal House” character only in a lab coat lol. Deputy Mason Dooley was another good sidekick type character and I felt so bad for the guy getting pulled away from food all the time. Oh well, Jill was just trying to make him into a better cop.

It was cool how the three ladies figured out whodunnit but still lacked some info that came as a surprise toward the ending, who knew? But that perp was just such a scum that the outcome was super satisfying especially when the perp was so smug before. I liked the ending and can’t wait for the next book now.

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


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The Diva Hosts a Murderer review

Tari Hann

This is the nineteenth book in the long-running Domestic Diva series by one of the first cozy authors I ever read when I got into cozy mysteries, Krista Davis. Her Paws and Claws series made me a diehard cozy mystery fan ever since that first book, and I’ve come to love her characters in Sophie Winston’s series as well. Sophie and her pals were on their A-game as far as sleuthing went in this book, what a great adventure!

#NetGalley #KristaDavis #KensingtonCozies

My Goodreads review:

The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery #19)The Diva Hosts a Murderer by Krista Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a super good mystery with a satisfying conclusion at the showdown. There were a few other side stories like Aunt Melly’s new marriage and just who was Sophie’s sister Hannah secretly dating? I felt bad for Sophie’s neighbor Dollie who felt like the police didn’t believe her every time she called in hearing noises in her house. At least she eventually found out the reason for those sounds.

There was a lot happening and once the perp was put away, a couple friends had some fun surprises in store. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book now.

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


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Dungeons and Danger review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Ravensea Castle Mysteries by Elizabeth Penney, a fave cozy author whose work I’ve enjoyed whenever I’ve read it. I’m super eager to read the next book now.

#NetGalley #ElizabethPenney #St.MartinPaperbacks #MinotaurBooks

My Goodreads review:

Dungeons and Danger (The Ravensea Castle Book 2)Dungeons and Danger by Elizabeth Penney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nora’s brother Will was having a huge Viking Fest on the castle grounds and everything was going well until it wasn’t and a dead body was found. The dead person wasn’t well-liked at all and definitely eliminated one of the players in the hunt for the Viking hoard supposedly hidden on Ravensea property. Technically the family was entitled to it, but they’d offered to share a little in exchange for having help.

But maybe they wouldn’t need to share it at all since it seemed like someone was picking off the ghost hunting crew one by one. Who was gonna survive to find the treasure? This was a fun and suspenseful read that kept me turning those Kindle pages. Now I’m really eager to read the next book! This author never disappoints in any mystery of hers that I’ve read!

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


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Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers review

Tari Hann

This is the ninth book in the Death by Chocolate series by Sarah Graves, and I’ve had the best time laughing and sometimes crying through all of them. This ninth book sure didn’t disappoint even after all that time. I think each one somehow one-ups the previous book, lol. As per my usual recommendations, this series is best enjoyed and savored in order. 

#NetGalley #SarahGraves #KensingtonCozies

My Goodreads review:

 

Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers (A Death by Chocolate Mystery Book 9)Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers by Sarah Graves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, just when I think the previous book was the most exciting adventure Jake and Ellie had, the next book (this one) came along and knocked it outta the park. From car chases to creepy basements to apprehending a killer, Jake pretty much did it all in this book. And she had plenty of bug bites and various injuries to show for it too. But Jake’s heart is as big as it can be and most of this stuff she went through for the sake of one little girl who lost her mother.

I loved the satisfying outcome and the very ending was tons of fun too. Jake and Wade are in for a bumpy ride for sure and I can’t wait to read the next book.

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


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Confessions of an Amateur Sleuth review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in a new series, Bainbridge Island Mysteries by well-known cozy mystery author, Lynn Cahoon, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first book, maybe even more. I can’t wait to read the third book since there was a preview at the end of this one that got me interested.

#NetGalley #LynnCahoon #KensingtonCozies

My Goodreads review:

 

Confessions of an Amateur Sleuth (A Bainbridge Island Mystery Book 2)Confessions of an Amateur Sleuth by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’d enjoyed meeting Meg and her friends in the first book last year, so I was glad to be able to continue the series with this book. It was another good murder mystery presented as Meg’s steps for her amateur sleuth book she was writing.

There were some side stories that were interesting but the best part was catching the perp and keeping them from killing anyone else. I’ll definitely be reading the next book since there’s a one-chapter preview of it at the end of this book that I enjoyed.

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


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Murder in a Lavender Daze review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the new Aroma Wellness Mysteries, a fun spin-off of the Fairy Garden Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber. If you liked the Fairy Garden series and miss it, some of the characters guest throughout in this book and the first one. No one’s made a series for it on Goodreads, so the link leads to Amazon, but no worries, I’m not an affiliate. 

#NetGalley #DarylWoodGerber #KensingtonCozies

My Goodreads review:

Murder in a Lavender Daze (An Aroma Wellness Mystery Book 2)Murder in a Lavender Daze by Daryl Wood Gerber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emma had a client wanting a more unique type of girls’ gathering at the spa, a happily divorced party. Before that could happen though, the client’s mother was murdered and Emma was begged to investigate much to Det. Summers’ dismay. When Emma found herself facing off with a killer, she was thankful for a good security system and a grandma who worried.

I really enjoy Meryl’s character a lot and even the crazy jokes she tells. The side story involved her mom who worked as receptionist when her heart was really more into her standup comic acts. The team got a nice surprise at the end and things worked out for all involved.

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


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