Tag: small shops

Poaching Is Puzzling review

Tari Hann

This is the twelfth book in the super fun Cookbook Nook Mysteries by one of my fave cozy authors, Daryl Wood Gerber. Unfortunately, the Goodreads page was made without a link to the series name, but you can look at the author’s page to see the others. Jenna’s sleuthing abilities have really grown over the twelve books, and she’s actually pretty useful to the police. And of course, she digs in and sleuths regardless of what Cinnamon says, lol.

#NetGalley #BeyondthePageBooks #DarylWoodGerber

My Goodreads review:

Poaching Is Puzzling: A Cookbook Nook Mystery #12Poaching Is Puzzling: A Cookbook Nook Mystery #12 by Daryl Wood Gerber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Poor Aunt Vera! When a crossword expert was killed, he happened to be an old friend of hers, but the worst part was being a suspect for his murder. Jenna was more invested than ever to figure this out. Cinnamon always cracks me up at how stern she comes off and warns Jenna, then she turns around and admits there’s just something about our Jenna girl that people like and love to talk to. Hey she’s got charisma, lol. But Jenna and Cinnamon have been getting along lately, at least tons better than in the early books, and Jenna does do her best to make sure she keeps that friendship. Even prickly Pepper, Cinnamon’s mom isn’t quite as bad as she was once.

Rhett and Jenna are the cutest married couple! It hasn’t changed a thing (unlike how some fave sleuth couples that got married on TV and the show got cancelled shortly after) between them, and while Rhett worries about her, he’s not about to squelch her curiosity. Jenna had another life-threatening showdown but she had a trick up her sleeve too, so all was well in Crystal Cove once the perp (who I hadn’t guessed this time) was hauled away. Vera and Marlon were another super cute couple even though the poor guy couldn’t work the case for most of the book. Can’t wait to see what our fave cove dwellers get into in the next book!

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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Murders on Elderberry Road –review

Tari Hann

This is the first book in a series that started in 2003, and written by author Sally Goldenbaum. Most cozy fans know her from her Seaside Knitters series. I had seen on Amazon (I think) that she was continuing this series, much like she did with Seaside Knitters Society. There are already three books up for preordering. You can see the titles on Cozy-Mystery.com’s Sally Goldenbaum page.

NEW INFO: Red-faced moment but I’ll own up to my goof: I just found out from a friend and blogger that it looks like the originals are being reworked into Kindle copies with new titles and covers, but basically the same story. Good news is if you’ve not read the old ones or don’t own them, just go order the Kindle copies with new, updated covers. I won’t cancel my preorders, but I wish I hadn’t ordered used copies of the old paperbacks now. Oh well, I hadn’t read the first book when I saw the synopsis for the revamped first book. And…right on the Amazon page, it states what the previous title was. ::face palm::

I love that in both series she writes about a group of women who are all different ages but brought together by the camaraderie of an activity they like, in this case it’s quilting. Her little character descriptions before the story starts are interesting and I always think they’re helpful. I’m hoping to get caught up before the new books start releasing in June, July and August.

My Goodreads review:

Murders on Elderberry RoadMurders on Elderberry Road by Sally Goldenbaum

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I noticed online (now I forget where, possibly shopping Amazon) that the author is continuing this series as Queen Bee Quilt Shop, so I knew I wanted to make an attempt to read the older books first. I happened to have this one in my TBR and was very happy to find that it’s much like her Seaside Knitters series, meaning that there’s a group of awesome friends of all ages who get together and quilt, hence the Quilting Bees.

I really enjoyed getting to know all these characters. There were little pencil-looking sketches of each of the eight members of the quilting bee shown at the front of the book, much like the author does with her character list in the other series, only with a drawing and short description. I always like to read through those, and even though eight seems like a lot in a group, by the end of the book, I felt like I knew most of them fairly well, as well as some of the town members. My favorite character of course was Po, since she was like a mom to the younger members and the story does seem to center more around her. I love her sense of family and wanting her friends around her as much as possible. Eleanor Canterbury was the oldest member and I got a kick out of her. She came from old money and some might have thought she’d be snooty, but she was ready with the rest of them to get the case solved–and to perfect her quilting.

This book wasn’t as long as the typical Seaside Knitters book, but it was definitely as thought-provoking and not just about the mystery. It was also about the people themselves. The showdown of this book was epic, and I liked the epilogue that tied everything up in a neat package. I found the rest of the series and will be starting them soon, hopefully before the new books start.

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A Vintage Death–review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Keepsake Cove series by Mary Ellen Hughes. I absolutely loved it! As you’ll read in my review below, I definitely wasn’t ready for it to end. There was a good surprise at the end too. A lot of people had secrets in this book, and that always makes for some great sleuthing fun.

My Goodreads review:

A Vintage Death (A Keepsake Cove Mystery)A Vintage Death by Mary Ellen Hughes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ohhh this was so good, and I didn’t want it to end! I was wishing I could just hang around a bit longer in Keepsake Cove after the really awesome ending this book had.

It was fall in Keepsake Cove, and all the business owners were decorating and getting ready for all the extra business they hoped that author Lyssa Hammond’s book event would bring them. When a local B&B owner was found stabbed with a pair of antique scissors, his estranged wife Dorothy was the major person of interest. Callie was determined that her friend wasn’t going to go to jail, because she knew Dorothy wouldn’t do something like that.

Callie and Lyssa had become fast friends and did a lot of sleuthing together, which I thought was awesome, since up till now, Callie hadn’t really had a girlfriend close to her age. The showdown was really exciting and the ending was super satisfying. I had read the first book, which I really enjoyed as well, but this could work as a standalone. The main characters are the type that you meet and feel like they’re good friends. This book makes me want to go back and read over the first one, just so I can spend more time in Keepsake Cove while waiting for the next book.

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