cozy mystery – Page 79 – Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery

Death al Fresco–review

April 4, 2018April 12, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the very enjoyable and well-written third book in the Sally Solari series by Leslie Karst. In lots of ways, Sally mirrors Ms. Karst’s own life. I saw on the book flap that she worked previously as a lawyer, she enjoys cooking, cycling and singing so I thought that was pretty cool since Sally is always riding her bike somewhere and in the second book she was enjoying being part of the community choir.

My Goodreads review:

Death al Fresco by Leslie Karst

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve read the first two books in this series and really enjoyed reading about the Italian culture and way of life in Santa Cruz where Sally Solari helped her father, Mario, with his restaurant Solari’s and also owned Gaugin that was willed to her by Aunt Letta. I always enjoy that these books have just the right amount of description in them–the food, the scenery and the people, not overdone or underdone, just right. Kind of like the perfect meal! The book was well-written and kept my interest all through it.

This installment has Sally’s dog digging up the body of a dead local fisherman on the beach during one of the art classes she and her ex-now-best-friend, Eric were taking. Sally’s investigations are getting a little too close to the truth so she needs to be careful she’s not the next victim.

One of the side stories had Sally helping her dad with a big dinner that he was throwing for visitors from Santa Cruz’s sister city in Italy. Sally could never turn him down and always felt a little guilty that she had more or less turned away from working at Solari’s to devote time to her own restaurant.

I did love how Sally and her dad’s relationship has gotten a lot better since she first took over Aunt Letta’s restaurant, Gaugin. He realized his little girl had a business of her own to tend to and could respect her for that. They didn’t always share the same opinion on certain things but when the day was over, they always knew they had each other.

The other side story involved Javier looking into running a new restaurant with his girlfriend, Natalie. I won’t spoil how that turns out 😉

I’m enjoying Sally and Eric’s new relationship. They’re simply best friends who take an art class together, confide in each other and are pretty much always there for each other. I like that they are on better terms and she’s not annoyed by him now. I’m not sure if I’d want to see this turn into a romance or not since it obviously didn’t work the first time–they do get along really nice and play well off each other during an investigation.

For those who like to venture into authentic Italian cooking, there are several recipes in the back of the book.

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Oh Say Can You Fudge–review

March 31, 2018April 12, 2018 Tari Hann

Hold onto your hats, I’ve actually finished a third book in a row! And no there really isn’t anything that stays unsolved to keep me reading other than wanting to see how things progress up to the 5th book since I have already read that one as an advanced copy when it came out last year.

This is the third book in the Candy Coated series by Nancy Coco. To be totally honest, I still think I like book 2 a little better but this one was still exciting and it had some really nice family and couple moments.

My Goodreads review:

Oh Say Can You Fudge by Nancy CoCo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series is so much fun! There always seemed to be a dog and something chase. In this book, Mal chases a cat around the McMurphy hotel that was let in accidentally and of course it’s like a little comedy during that scene. And Allie may just have another new pet on her hands that she’s not sure if she can even keep at the hotel due to health regs for her fudge shop.

I’m really enjoying this series from the awesome Mackinac Island setting to the adventures in mystery that Allie and her team of friends are having. This time it’s close to the Fourth of July and Allie has volunteered to head up the fireworks committee. Only one minor problem…someone blew up the fireworks and Allie, who was coming to the warehouse to talk to the guy in charge of the fireworks show, had spotted a body in the building just prior to that. The big question is, are they looking for one perp or two different ones?

I love how Allie and her friends investigate. The hotel team along with Trent gets together and discusses the crime much like they do on TV shows and everyone decides on something they can do to help investigate (with or without Rex’s blessing). This time they made an arson board (as opposed to a murder board even though there was a murder involved) Hopefully Allie won’t get so close to the truth that she ends up the next one toasted, literally!

I liked the new character introduced, Sophie, who is the official island pilot. She actually works for the Grand Hotel but if someone can pay the fare, she takes just about anyone off and onto the island who may not want to bother with the ferry. Allie’s parents came for the celebration and it was fun to see them wanting to protect their girl and just be parents. I could tell her dad really missed being on the island.

I’ll be moving to the next book soon!

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To Fudge or Not to Fudge–review

March 29, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Candy-Coated series by Nancy Coco. I couldn’t bring myself to leave Mackinac Island so fast so I started right into the second book. I think I may have liked it even more than the first! Let’s just say I would love to see the Lilac Festival in person someday!

My Goodreads review:

To Fudge or Not to Fudge by Nancy CoCo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series just keeps getting better! What an exciting and fun read! Mal got to sniff out bodies again and now Allie had two interested men in her life.

It was Lilac Festival time in June and the entire island was getting ready for the festivities. While walking with Allie to the newspaper, Allie’s furry little friend Mal dug up a bone that had once belonged to a foot. Meanwhile Allie’s cooking school teacher and mentor was on island and wanted her to fill in on a reality series he was doing with a fudge competition. Toss in a couple of bodies and you have another grand adventure for Allie, Mal, Jenn and the gang at the McMurphy.

I think I liked this one even better than the first one. There was so much going on but it wasn’t a confusing type of going on, just lots of fun activities and wondering if some bones and a couple other murders could all be related. We got to meet Sandy, an intern Allie hired for the summer whose chocolate creations sounded amazing! Jenn had really gotten her chance to shine at event planning and even Allie’s mom came to the island to hang out with them a little. I ended up liking her a lot more than I thought I would, probably after hearing her side of why Allie’s folks left the island.

The reality show angle was kind of fun. I’ve never been a fan of reality shows but since this one was centered around fudge making, it was pretty interesting and I liked meeting part of Allie’s educational past, Chef Peter who continued to be her mentor she admired.

The killer was definitely a surprise to me–I had been suspecting someone completely different.

Onward to the next book. Can’t wait to see what happens over July 4th!

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All Fudged Up–review

March 28, 2018March 28, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Candy-Coated series by Nancy Coco. In the cozy world, she’s also known as Nancy Parra and Nell Hampton. I had read the fifth book in the series when it came out but I had been hoping to get back to beginning and I’m glad I did. I started the second book right after I finished this one!

My Goodreads review:

All Fudged Up by Nancy CoCo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had read Oh, Fudge! already in this series so when one of the online book clubs I’m in decided on this for their April book, I was happy I was going to get to visit this series from the very beginning.

Allie McMurphy has inherited her grandfather’s historic hotel on scenic Mackinac Island and it came complete with one dead body in the utility closet who turned out to be her Papa Liam’s friend, Joe.

Allie of course was the main suspect due to the famous rivalry that had developed between the Jessops and the McMurphys. Even though she thought that down deep handsome policeman Rex didn’t suspect her, Allie was still determined to find Joe’s killer and prove her own innocence. With the help of her best friend Jenn who came to help for the season, her front desk clerk Frances and now her new handyman, Douglas, she has to figure it out.

I loved seeing how it all began! Even though book 5 was able to be read by itself, reading this book helped so much in knowing some of the people, getting to know Frances and how Douglas came into her life. I really enjoyed the character of Jenn too. She was an awesome and faithful friend to Allie. And sweet little Mal was such a cutie–she could turn even a tough guy into well, what she was named after, a marshmallow! Frances was such a good employee, almost like a mother to Allie since hers lived on the mainland. She was willing to give up her summer’s salary to help out the hotel.

I found the second book also on my iPad so I’ve started reading that. This is such a fun series. I would definitely love to visit Mackinac Island someday, but probably not during the winter. 😉

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Books Can Be Deceiving–review

March 26, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Library Lover’s series by Jenn McKinlay. I have read the first in her Hat Shop series so I knew this would be a good book before I even opened it. It definitely didn’t disappoint! Some things in Briar Creek CT were definitely not as they appeared! 😉 An awesome start to a currently 7 book series.

My Goodreads review:

Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had been wanting to start reading this series for awhile so when another book club online chose it as their discussion for March, I was happy to start reading it. I like settings in libraries and bookstores anyway so I devoured this book (a little slower than usual since real life kept interrupting lol).

Lindsey Norris was happily working as the director of the Briar Creek Library in Briar Creek CT. Her best friend Beth worked with her as the children’s librarian. Despite a grumpy employee named Ms. Cole, the library ran smoothly and life was pretty good. That is until Beth’s long time boyfriend Rick broke up with her very suddenly and the next thing we knew, Lindsey, Beth and their friend Sully (Capt. Mike Sullivan, a boat captain) found Rick dead in his island home.

Since all fingers seemed to point to Beth as the main suspect, Lindsey took it on herself to investigate–along with a little help from Sully and Beth. Surprisingly, they found that Rick was not everything he claimed to be. There was a great plot twist towards the end and at that point, I was really not wanting any interruptions!

This was a great cast of characters, well with the exception of the grumpy library worker. I loved the idea of them having a crafternoon–a book club discussion along with doing their knitting projects. It was so funny that when Lindsey was coming to a difficult part of her knitting (she only learned so she’d be able to meet with them) she would suddenly become very scholarly about the book and pretty hilarious when they all called her on it. I’d love to see an in-person cozy mystery book club do something like that.

Milton, the 80 something year old yoga expert was such a nice guy! I really liked him a lot and I hope he’s in the rest of these books. He was the library board president among other local volunteer things he did. He made me think of one of my favorite actors, Dick Van Dyke in his Dr. Sloane character, an all around nice friend to have.

Nancy was such a sweet lady to kind of take Lindsey under her wing since her parents lived in another state, as well as be a good landlord and friend to her. The other ladies in the crafternoon group were fun too. And there was Beth. Everyone needs a best friend like her!

I had sort of guessed the killer but I sure didn’t guess the twist that came later and the reasoning behind it all. There were some fun and handy things at the back of the book: Tips on how to hold a crafternoon group, a book guide to a book they were reading, Sully’s yummy hot cocoa and Mary’s clam chowder. There was also a short preview for the next book which I already know I’m going to read!

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A Charming Crime–review

March 26, 2018March 26, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Magical Cures, a long running series that still continues, by Tonya Kappes. I’ve loved reading her Kenni Lowry series so I knew this one would be very good. It features magical characters so it’s a little like reading Harry Potter except so far no one has done any spells. They just sell magical type items in their shops. I could just picture this cute little village! Here’s my Goodreads review on it:

A Charming Crime by Tonya Kappes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m so glad one of the book clubs I’m in chose this for their March book. It was absolutely so good and very hard to put down at times!

June Heal was happy living in Locust Grove KY and being a homeopathic remedies expert. She made the remedies and sold them at the flea market. One day she was visited by a mysterious woman who along with her lifelong friend Oscar convinced her that nearby Whispering Falls would be a perfect place to open up a shop for her cures. It all sounds perfect until one of the women in that village is found dead holding June’s favorite bracelet that she’d lost.

Oscar, who had gotten a job as the police at Whispering Falls was suddenly having to look at June as the only suspect so of course he couldn’t help her investigate. June was determined to find out who offed awful Ann but at what cost, hopefully not at the loss of her own life!

Wow things happened so fast for June! A woman named Izzy talked her into moving, her best friend got a job in that same town and very conveniently her house sold for a great price. I’m not sure what I would have done in June’s place but Whispering Falls did seem like a really intriguing place and the shops were all so different and interesting. Even though it was a village for magical folks, regular tourists would come and buy cures, jewelry, get facials etc. from the different shop owners. I loved that the pet adoption store had a real tree growing in the center. All the pets seemed really happy there while they waited for their new homes.

I was going back and forth over who the killer might be but at one point I nailed it although as usual, the complete why escaped me. I always love when the sleuth has the presence of mind to record the perp’s confession. Some other fun things happened at the end of the book as well so I’m anxious to continue reading this series and find out more about June and Oscar’s families and if those two ever become more than just very good friends. For now it’s just fun getting to know the different town members and see how this town operates.

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Fit to Die–review

March 18, 2018 Tari Hann

Don’t fall over, I’ve read two in the same series in a row again 😉 This one is the second book in the Supper Club series by Ellery Adams, currently undergoing revisions to reflect the author using her Ellery Adams name now on the series instead of JB Stanley. I voluntarily read and reviewed this copy that I received from NetGalley and the publisher. I liked the first two books so much I did buy the third one and I look to get the others as well.

Image was listed on Google under the ok for reuse section of the tools.

My Goodreads review:

Fit to Die by J.B. Stanley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m loving this series so much I couldn’t stop with the first book. This book was just as amazing and the Flab Five even got to add a couple of new friends to the mix. I loved how once they got their weight loss programs back under control, they all gained the confidence they’d been needing. Things were getting better between James and his dad, Jackson. Lucy was working very hard to help out the sheriff’s department and hopefully get to take the deputy exam soon.

It was late spring and the whole town of Quincy’s Gap was abuzz with excitement when new citizen Willy opened up his Polar Pagoda. There was also a new fitness program in town and he and the owner definitely didn’t see eye to eye. Also some of the townspeople weren’t very happy with Willy’s shop for selling what they said was a suggestive t-shirt saying on a shirt. Did one of these people decided to burn the place down, leaving a body there? Another body eventually turned up as well so the friends had their jobs cut out for them. As in the first book, they all worked together so well as both a weight loss and a mystery solving team.

I thought the Spring Fling sounded like a lot of fun! I really admire the 20-something Fitzgerald twins, Francis and Scott, who work for James, for their innovative ideas for fund raising. This was for some new computers and printers. The Fling was a huge success! I was so happy that Jackson Henry was beginning to act more like a real father to James now. He still didn’t want to talk about his art but apparently he was becoming successful and was willing to have some improvements done on their home.

I liked these first two books so much I bought the third and am thinking of starting it soon!

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Carbs and Cadavers–review

March 17, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the first book in the newly revised Supper Club series by Ellery Adams. Originally she had used the name J.B. Stanley but has had all the books revised, or is in the process of doing that, to use the same name across all her series. I originally read this book in July of 2017 and since I reviewed it on Goodreads then, it won’t count as part of my challenge for 2018.

I wanted to re-read it so I could take part in a Facebook book club that Ellery is having until March 23. She’s doing a daily giveaway or sometimes two and asking questions about the story. I felt like I had forgotten a lot so I wanted to re-read and also mention the book here since I only just started this blog January 2018. I owned the original on Kindle but loved the new cover so much so I requested the revised edition from NetGalley to voluntarily read and review.

I’m writing longer book reviews now but here’s the short, sweet and to the point one I wrote for Goodreads last July:

Carbs and Cadavers: A Supper Club Mystery by Ellery Adams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved the camaraderie and caring these new friends have

I really liked the switch from usual cozies to a male protagonist. James is so sweet and I was really happy he and Lucy hit it off. All of these weight loss friends were awesome and were just depicted as people anyone would be happy to have as friends. The mystery was well told and I had no idea who the killer was. The ending had me wondering how the friends were going to get the better of the perp but it worked out great. I would definitely be interested in reading the next in the series.

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Deja Moo–review

March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series by Kirsten Weiss. I wasn’t really sure how I’d like it although I’m not opposed to paranormal books. I just didn’t want for it to be too creepy and it seriously was not. There was nothing that couldn’t be explained–it was all done by humans.

The only thing that could really be construed paranormal was the talk of the curse but Maddie, the museum owner doesn’t even believe in curses. I’m trying to help anyone who might have doubts about reading this, don’t have those doubts, it’s a really fun book with some great characters. I plan to read the first two in the series since I have them as e-books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reading copy of this book provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

My Goodreads review:

Deja Moo by Kirsten Weiss

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a real page turner! I got absorbed into the mystery so fast that I could barely put this down. I finished it by reading straight through since just after lunch. Even though this is the third book in the series, it could be a stand alone if anyone isn’t familiar with the series. I hadn’t read any of the previous books but I quickly got acquainted with the characters and knew what was going on since not too much backstory was really needed.

It’s almost Christmas in San Benedetto, CA which means the annual burning of the straw cow, a tradition started by ancestors in Sweden. Maddie Koslosky, Paranormal Museum owner, now has some cow bells that are supposedly cursed and with the murder of one of the people guarding the cow, some are beginning to think the curse has returned. Maddie doesn’t believe in curses but she likes the publicity the stories bring her museum. For the good of the community, she agrees to a de-cursing of the bells after another body is found murdered the same way as the first man. Can Maddie find the killer before the killer takes care of her and her mom once and for all? And can she do this without incurring the wrath of Detective Hammer, her high school nemesis…only one way to find out!

There were so many fun characters in this well-written book. I love that there’s a trio of girlfriends, kind of like in the Nancy Drew stories. Maddie and her friends Adele and Harper have a weekly girls’ night out to talk over their week or in this case, talk about the investigation she’s not supposed to be holding.

I was glad to see Maddie got closure with her ex-boyfriend and was now able to possibly move forward with Jason Slate, handsome detective partner of Laurel Hammer. Maddie’s mom Fran cracks me up. She’s kind of that typical mom that means well but somehow gets into situations she shouldn’t. It was pretty funny when she had some policemen guarding her house and she was so bored she baked and fed them cookies.

I was definitely not sure who the killer was since everyone that was a suspect did have a good reason. There were some great twists and turns along the way and I was surprised with whodunnit. I loved the take down and ending, exciting and just plain fun. I’d like to go back and read the first two books now and will definitely keep an eye out for the next book in this series.

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Lethal in Old Lace–review

March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 Tari Hann

This is the fifth book in the popular Consignment Shop series by Duffy Brown. She also writes the Cycle Path Mysteries. I’ve read both of those that are out and they are just as hilarious as this series. If you want to have a great time reading and laugh out loud, pick up a copy of this book that just released this week!

My Goodreads review:

Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely hilarious! There were so many fun moments and laugh out loud happenings from a chick food fight to an old guy fight at a funeral viewing. Of course Aunt Kiki was right in the thick of things as always and helping in a fairly major way with this investigation. I loved that Reagan’s mom, the judge, got in on some of the snooping fun this time. I had only read the first in this series but just couldn’t resist reading ahead since it was no secret that Reagan and Boone would be getting married, something I started wishing for in the first book.

The book starts up right on the heels of the previous book. Reagan said yes and practically promised Boone she’d never pay attention to another dead body again. The only problem was that there was a body in the Fritz sisters’ car and Reagan certainly didn’t want them to go to jail for something they didn’t do. A whole comedy of errors follows, one funny situation after the other which leads to a pretty awesome conclusion where BW, Reagan and Boone’s rescue dog, gets to be a hero.

I didn’t guess the killer very early, but I did have suspicions all along about that person.

There was a little side mystery concerning Uncle Putter meeting with Boone over some legal matters but it seems like that might be an ongoing future small plot since nothing was explained about it. I loved the whole wedding planning craziness. One minute they didn’t want a big wedding, next minute there was one being planned. A super fun roller coaster ride that you won’t want to miss! I probably should get caught up on the rest of the series before the next book comes out but I’m so anxious for that to happen too.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

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