Tag: new england

Murder by the Book–review

Tari Hann

This was a fun beginning for the new series Beyond the Page Bookshop Mysteries by Lauren Elliott. It definitely has all the elements I like in a cozy mystery. I’m anxious to read the next book, which I noticed on Amazon comes out in April.

My Goodreads review:

Murder by the Book (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery, #1)Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fairly complex mystery that took place in one of my favorite places, a bookstore! There was even some international intrigue, possible arts/books/antiquities smuggling and everyone seemed to have secrets in Greyborne Harbor where Addie had just opened her used bookstore, Beyond the Page. It was nice that she was able to make a good friend right away that she could count on, because some of the town merchants didn’t seem to trust her and thought she’d brought crime in from Boston when she came to town.

A couple of murders later, one of which is first blamed on Addie’s new friend Serena, who happens to be the younger sister of handsome detective Marc Chandler, and Addie is filling out a murder board with suspects. Marc seemed incredibly patient with her compared to some detectives in stories I’ve read, but that added to the special cozy factor that he really liked her. I think that now she’s gotten closure on her fiance’s murder, maybe she’ll feel she can move on, since by the end of the book, she and Marc were in a little bit better place as friends.

I’d had an idea of who did it, but honestly didn’t know why, it was just a random thought that turned out to be right. In some places there was quite a bit more description or chatty dialogue than I’m used to, but it didn’t really detract from the mystery and it compelled me to keep reading. I’m definitely interested in reading the next book–there was a little blurb at the end of this one that made it sound really enticing!

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Curses, Boiled Again!–review

Tari Hann

I was able to read and review an advance copy of the first book of a new series, Lobster Shack coming out January 30. The author is Shari Randall from Connecticut which is where the book takes place. So many awesome characters. I think my favorites were Aunt Gully and Verity. Make sure you catch this new book when it comes out!

My Goodreads review:

Curses, Boiled Again! (A Lobster Shack Mystery #1)Curses, Boiled Again! by Shari Randall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a really interesting and exciting start to what I hope is a long lasting series. It takes place in Connecticut in a fictional town called Mystic Bay. Allie and her sister Lorel are helping their Aunt Gully (real name Gina but everyone calls her Gully, possibly for how her singing sounds lol) get her lobster restaurant, the Lazy Mermaid underway. Mystic Bay’s annual Food Festival is going on and chaos breaks out when the four judges end up with extreme cases of food poisoning after sampling a lobster roll from another local shop. One of the judges ends up dead.

The state detective seems to be trying to accuse the man from the shop where the lobster roll came from but Allie just knows he’s innocent. Along with her friend Verity, they go on a sometimes comical adventure of sleuthing.

I really enjoyed all the different characters in this book! There were quite a few but it really wasn’t hard to remember the main ones and those that mattered the most to the story. Allie was a typical dancer, always on the move, although carefully and awkwardly since she’s trying to heal from a broken ankle. Her older sister Lorel is a little uptight and seems to be only concerned with social media for the restaurant and things of business. But in the end, they both adore their Aunt Gully and family does come first.

Aunt Gully was such a fun character! She was loving, always needing to take care of people no matter what. Allie’s good friend Verity was a good comic relief sometimes.

I had part of the mystery right but had no idea why. There was also a little side mystery that tied in with the killing but I didn’t have that figured out. I never do get the reasoning right even if I guess so it was a fun little journey reading those last several chapters, not really able to put the book down (that was hard to do at any point!). Allie ends up reinjuring her ankle but for a great cause. You’ll just have to read it and find out!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

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