book club friends – Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery

Murder in a Cape Cottage review

September 20, 2022 Tari Hann

This is the fourth book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries by Maddie Day aka Edith Maxwell who also writes the Country Store Mysteries as Maddie. I just love Mac’s super close-knit family and their interactions. She and Tim make a great couple and now that she’s wrapped her very orderly mind around marriage and subsequently having kids, Mac seems much better adjusted than she did in those first couple books. You won’t wanna miss this fun story of a mystery before the wedding!

I just had to include a note that if you’ve not read acknowledgements that authors write, you need to at least start reading the ones this author does. She’s always got something interesting or some back info included in it. This time it was a bittersweet mention of one of the characters being named after a lady’s sister. It was a charity auction with the winner getting to name a character in this book, and the lady who won chose to have the character named for her sister. I’m not gonna spoil the rest, you’ll just need to dig into those acknowledgements and find out what it was so sweet. I’ve always been a sort of acknowledgements nerd and try to always read those even if they’re short.

#KensingtonCozies #MaddieDay

My Goodreads review:

Murder in a Cape Cottage by Maddie Day
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mac sure never expected to have a mystery to solve so close to her wedding day, but one sorta just fell in her lap as she and Tim worked on gutting a closet in their cottage. I guess Mac felt a little indebted to get justice for this pathetic skeleton that’d been walled up eighty years ago since the remains were found in her and Tim’s cottage. Even though Bella the parrot was moved to Mac’s parents’ house during the renovation, we still got our bookish dose of her silliness and begging for snacks.

As Mac investigated, there was a current day someone who didn’t like her digging into a murder from long ago. The only actual murders were the cold cases but there was an attempt on someone’s life and by that time I was pretty sure who might be behind all this. The showdown was awesome with Mac herself preventing a killing, but for this cozy sleuth it’s all in a day’s work. And she lived to get married which was basically what her friends and family were all worrying about. The friends and Mac’s toast at the end was pretty sweet. This book releases a week from today, September 27.

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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A Fatal Booking review

June 10, 2022June 10, 2022 Tari Hann

This is the third book in the A Book Lover’s Mysteries series by Victoria Gilbert, who also writes another fave series, The Blue Ridge Library Mysteries. I love how her characters are smart and likable yet realistic. She’s great making you love the good guys and very good at hiding who the baddies are! In either series, I feel like I’m visiting old friends, and I can’t wait for the Book Lover’s series to continue!

#CrookedLaneBooks #VictoriaGilbert

My Goodreads review:

A Fatal Booking by Victoria Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It seems like the third book of any newer series, at least to me, is the magical number of after having read the first two books, you really feel a strong connection to the characters because their roles and sometimes secrets are already established. I just felt like this was the book where I was going back to visit some old friends. I absolutely love Ellen’s character and now with Gavin as a possible dating interest for Charlotte, the three seemed unstoppable as far as murder investigations. I really like Amber Johnson too, the detective who’s learned to take things that Charlotte and Ellen tell her very seriously. She’s respectful of them, has a decent appreciation of joking and is never purposely mean. Bookstore owner Julie makes a great bestie for Charlotte since she hears all the good gossip when there’s a case.

With a houseful of suspects and no clear leads, Charlotte was getting as tired as the police were of nothing turning up. Gavin did help a lot once he was back since he had resources he could tap into from his agent’s job. I hadn’t actually suspected the one whodunit, and the showdown was a real nail biter especially for Charlotte and Ellen!

The ending party as they’d done in previous books was fun and wrapped up the case along with a few cool announcements. I can’t wait to read the next book!

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

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Murder at the Lobstah Shack review

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Cozy Capers Book Group series by another fave author, Maddie Day aka Edith Maxwell. As Maddie, she also writes the long-running Country Store series featuring Robbie Jordan, one of my favorite main characters. This series is really growing on me, and I love the setting having since I’ve never been to Cape Cod but would love to go someday. I can’t really say more about Lobstah Shack without giving away something, so I’ll just leave you to read my GR review below. Eagerly waiting for the next book!

My Goodreads review:

Murder at the Lobstah Shack by Maddie Day
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fun series that keeps getting better. I love that Mac and Tim were getting closer and even Mac’s wrapped her brain around marriage and a family much better than she would’ve in the first book. Mac’s pet parrot Belle cracks me up with how she imitates everyone and picks up catch phrases. She’s definitely a different type of pet for a main character, lol. I enjoyed it whenever Mac would interact with her sweet little niece Cokey. Just reading how she is with Cokey, I have no doubts that Mac’s gonna make a really awesome mom someday.

The mystery was a tough one, and I really thought it was cool how the author put in a little nudge to a friend author of hers, Barb Ross who writes the Maine Clambake series. Yes, I read acknowledgements, lol. As with this author’s Country Store series, I always think I have the perp right, but boom! I’m wrong…and loving it! I’m eager to see what’s happening next in the series!

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

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Claret and Present Danger review

November 25, 2021November 25, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the fourth book in the Literary Pub series by another fave author of mine, Sarah Fox. She also writes the Pancake House Mysteries which I love. I enjoy the play on book titles she’s been using for the Literary Pub Mysteries along with the awesome characters who feel like old friends now. I can’t wait for the next Literary Pub book to come out and only wish it didn’t have to be a whole year!

My Goodreads review:

Claret and Present Danger by Sarah Fox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was great to visit Shady Creek, VT in the summer during the Renaissance Faire. While working on clearing her employee of the latest murder, Sadie and Grayson got even closer. I loved that he gets her and her need to be nosy, but he’s still sweet and protective while giving her space. I love how things had developed between them by the end of the book! And they both had enough employees now that they could take off for little bits of time together without feeling too guilty about it.

I had a feeling I knew whodunit when the book was fairly close to being done, but I didn’t really have the why. The showdown was exciting with an even better takedown. I only wish these books came out more than once a year, because now I’m excited to read the next book. I know Sadie’s mom is planning a visit. All I can say is she’d better like Grayson as much as everyone else does, lol.

This book releases next Tuesday, November 30. I really think this one was the best so far. All the characters now seem like old friends to me even though I’m sure we’ll continue learning new stuff about them throughout the series.

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

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Digging Up Trouble review

October 13, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the first in a brand new series by a new-to-me author named Kitt Crowe who has a great sense of humor in her writing, right up my alley! At least we don’t have to wait a whole year for a book because the next is scheduled for June of 2022, and I’ve been approved by #CrookedLane Publishing to read it. I loved some of the TV and pop culture references these friends tossed around along with their crazy and fun banter.

My Goodreads review:

Digging Up Trouble by Kitt Crowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this author’s wicked and fun sense of humor! It comes out in the form of her main character Lexi of course, and that girl cracked me up so many times! I loved it when she got together with besties Cat, Teri and two members of their bookclub for sleuthing. Stefanie was such a hoot, and her bestie Alison was a quiet but super knowledgeable lady having been an librarian before she retired. I liked that the run-ins Lexi had with Det. Berg were never to the point where he actually yelled or got overly angry. I thought the man was really pretty darn patient with Lexi and her snooping, lol.

There were so many possible suspects and just as I thought one person did it, I changed my mind. Lots of great red herrings and boy, what a showdown! Cookie, Lexi’s adorable dog (with klepto tendancies) ended up being a hero–I always love when the pet saves the day! There was a good twist I’d definitely not guessed although I wasn’t terribly surprised by something else. I did like this so much I requested the next book as an ARC that comes out June of 2022. Now that the book club has one case under their belt, I’m eager to see what they do with another.

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

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The Malt in Our Stars review

November 25, 2020 Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Literary Pub series by Sarah Fox, who also writes the Pancake House mysteries, which along with this is another favorite series of mine. It seemed like ages since I’d read the last one, so I was happy to revisit Shady Creek especially in the spring!

My Goodreads review:

The Malt in Our Stars by Sarah Fox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was great to return to Shady Creek, Vermont and visit with Sadie and her friends at her literary pub, Inkwell. I was especially happy with how well things were progressing for her and Grayson. I always love the scenes with Aunt Libby and Sadie.

While a murder occurred at the manor recently bought by a couple named Honeywell, Grayson’s brewery had some filming going on for a craft beer show. That was an interesting side mystery, and I wondered if it was connected to the main mystery. The whodunit was a total surprise for me, and the showdown was pretty awesome. I’m really anxious for the next book!

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

View all my reviews