bookshop mystery – Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery

To the Tome of Murder review

October 28, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the seventh book in the Beyond the Page Bookshop Mysteries by Lauren Elliott. I really love this cozy little town by the sea with all its awesome shops. Some of the shops we’ve never seen before got mentioned in this book, and there was an antique shop that Serena, Catherine and Addie all went nuts for. I think Paige and Catherine are still my favorite characters. They’re such sweethearts and the most amazing friends anyone could have. Will Addie finally wear Catherine down and get her to agree to officially work at the bookshop and get paid? You’ll have to read and see!

My Goodreads review:

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quite a bit happened since we visited Greyborne Harbor in June (of their world) when Serena and Zach got married. Now it was time for Thanksgiving, and of course, Addie’s got a murder to solve or watch her cousin Kalea get wrongly charged for killing her boyfriend.

My first guess of whodunit ended up being right, but it was fun to go down all those clever rabbit holes the author provided and see if someone else could’ve done it. I didn’t think Simon would grow on me as the one for Addie, but I was getting on board with that in the last book and a little more in the one before that. I just hope she doesn’t mess it up, as Serena sort of reminded her.

There were lots of secrets and crazy happenings that were connected to the murder investigation, but it was wrapped up nicely before Addie’s big Thanksgiving dinner that included a couple of new friends this time.

I think it ended well and just hope that Addie’s finally coming around and letting herself love someone again. I’m very eager for the next book now!

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

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Murder Outside the Lines review

September 30, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Pen & Ink Mysteries by one of my favorite cozy authors, Krista Davis. She also writes the Paws and Claws series as well as the long-running Domestic Diva Mysteries, two of my favorite series, but Pen & Ink’s becoming a favorite as well the more books I read in it. This one was especially good because I’m already a fan of Krista Davis’s Halloween storytelling abilities from the other two series. Murder Outside the Lines was right up there with her The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer and The Diva Haunts a House. All are fabulous Halloween reading with just the right amount of creep factor! PS: I loved the side story with Harry, the skull with personality!

My Goodreads review:

Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh this was such a fun and awesome Halloween read! I already knew this author was a champ when it came to telling Halloween stories with just the right amount of creepiness, so this mystery definitely didn’t disappoint! One of the side stories that was pretty hilarious at times involved a human skull named Harry that was sent to Prof. Maxwell. There were a couple other side stories, and it seemed like everyone had some type of secret, but was it worth killing over it?

The showdown was exciting and very Halloween appropriate. I loved how things were explained yet some left just a teensy bit of doubt. The murders and any attempts were all cleared up though. And yes, Harry lived happily ever after too! 😉

I won a copy of the paperback of this book, and also voluntarily read and reviewed a digital ARC of the book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

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Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder review

October 28, 2019 Tari Hann

When I saw this book on NetGalley and that it took place in a bookshop, I just had to request it to review. It’s set in a fun little town in Mississippi with some great new characters. The book club ladies made me laugh with their sleuthing plans and antics. It was amazing what a former teacher could say to get a favor from a former student who happens to be police chief. 😉 I’m anxious to read more in this series!

Photo was found searching on Google under “licensed for reuse.” This is the book that the ladies were supposed to be discussing but wanted to talk about the murder instead.

My Goodreads review:

Can’t Judge a Book By Its Murder by Amy Lillard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really enjoyable bunch of new characters, and I got such a kick out of the book club ladies wanting to do their sleuthing in such a way that Arlo must have felt like she was herding cats trying to keep them under control and out of danger. I liked Arlo and her bestie Chloe. They worked well together at their business, and Arlo was a fierce and faithful friend when Chloe was charged with murder. She was relentless at trying to prove her best friend’s innocence, and I know Chloe and her little boy truly appreciated it. Mads, not so much, but he seemed to have an incredibly large amount of patience with Arlo–possibly because they dated in high school, but maybe because he’s just a nice guy to begin with. I also enjoyed the character of Frances, the seventy-something woman who worked the desk at the police station. She was a great source of info and gossip.

I loved how when Arlo realized who the killer was, she raced to where she needed to be but managed to get Sam to call the police for backup. Both men who liked Arlo were her exes from high school, and for once I’m a little stumped as to which guy I like for her, although I always tend to lean toward the law enforcement officials in a case like this. Not sure why, but I don’t get tired of that theme of the sleuth liking the cop. Sam does seem nice, and he’s well-liked by the book club ladies. I’ll definitely be interested in reading more in this series and visiting this sweet southern town again.

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

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Prologue to Murder–review

May 11, 2019 Tari Hann

I really enjoyed this second book in the Beyond the Page Bookshop series by Lauren Elliott and loved the whole pirate and ghost walk theme they were having for their Greyborne Founders Day festival. The next one has to do with Christmas, so I’m even more anxious to read that one.

My Goodreads review:

Prologue to Murder by Lauren Elliott

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was one book that was very hard to put down! There was always something going on that I just had to keep reading to find out. Addie Greyborne had become comfortable with her sort-of boyfriend police chief Marc Chandler who happened to be her bestie Serena’s brother when his ex-fiancee showed up in town acting like she wanted to pick up where they’d left off. It was awfully coincidental that Lacey’s arrival also had started some awful rumors about Addie floating around town via a gossip column in the paper by a Miss Newsy.

When the body of a local librarian was found, Miss Newsy managed to hint that Addie may have had something to do with that, so of course Addie wasn’t going to stand around not defending her name. There was a new handsome guy tossed into the picture in this story too, a doctor who was now the new coroner, and Addie felt herself liking both him and Marc. Despite all their ups and downs, Addie and Marc solved the case, and he had to admit that her gut instincts were correct. I didn’t really guess the killer until some clues started pointing that way. There were a lot of great red herrings to be distracted by too. I’m not sure where Addie’s love life is headed, but it’ll be interesting to see which guy she eventually ends up with. Each one is good for her in their own ways. I enjoyed the preview given at the end of the book for the next book coming out in October.

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

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