Reviews

Kat Ailes: The Expectant Detectives

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Expectant Detectives #1

This charmingly goofy, messy, funny mystery follows a very pregnant Alice and her partner Joe as they forsake the busy (and expensive) chaos of London for “the country.”  They’ve chosen the tiny village of Penton in the Cotswolds on the theory that a “posh hippy” community will be a good fit.  They bring along their gorgeous, if stupid, dog, Helen, who makes the moving trip to Penton extra nightmarish by vomiting all over the car.

They jam their things into their cute, tiny rental cottage, sleeping on an air mattress.  Alice and Joe seem to have mixed feelings on their upcoming blessed arrival and make a stab at joining their new community (and reality) by attending a pre-natal class, where they meet other pregnant mums in the vicinity. read more

Jeri Westerson: The Twilight Queen

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King’s Fool #2

I am a hardcore Tudor fan, mostly because of the long ago 70’s TV series The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R.  I inhaled everything Tudor during high school and went on to major in history in college.  So when Jeri Westerson asked me if I’d care to read her book about Will Sommers, Henry VIII’s jester, the answer was easy.  Set a few months before Anne Boleyn’s ultimate demise, Will is called to the Queen’s presence one evening as she’s discovered a corpse under her bed.  She doesn’t know who the man is, but she does know that a dead body in her chamber will be bad and she asks Will to move it. Reluctantly, he agrees, and moves the man to the garden. read more

Darcie Wilde: The Secret of the Lady’s Maid

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Rosalind Thorne #7

The Secret of the Lady’s Maid is Darcie Wilde’s seventh book about Rosalind Thorne, a Regency gentlewoman who has fallen on hard times after her father abandoned his family, and who makes a living undertaking discreet investigations for ladies who find themselves in difficult situations.  (But see below for my complaint about the series numbering).  By this time, Rosalind has acquired quite a reputation, and whenever she is seen visiting a family, people know that the family must be having difficulties. read more

Jess Armstrong: The Curse of Penryth Hall

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Debut

This was an interesting and unexpected read. Set just post WWI, it’s the story of Ruby Vaughn, an orphaned heiress who makes a living selling books. She works for an elderly Exeter bookseller, and as the novel opens, he’s sending her to Cornwall to deliver a trunk full which he warns her not to open. Mystified, she complies. The village where he’s sending her is the home of her former best friend and perhaps former lover, Tamsyn. Tamsyn is married to Sir Edward Chenowyth of Penryth Hall, a marriage that broke their friendship. read more

Teresa Peschel: Agatha Christie, She Watched

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The subtitle: “One woman’s plot to watch 201 Agatha Christie movies without murdering the director, screenwriter, cast, or her husband.” This is a fabulous and useful reference book.  If you think you are familiar with all the Marple-Poirot-And Then There Were None adaptations, you probably aren’t.  It’s encyclopedic, with each film rated regarding fidelity to text and quality of movie, along with a cast list, director and screenwriter for each film.  The real plus are the snarky little end comments.  I started putting post its on the ones she recommends as fabulous. read more

Catriona McPherson: Hop Scot

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Last Ditch #6

This hilarious breath of fresh air from Catriona McPherson has rocketed on to my all time favorite Christmas mystery list.  This series centers on Scot Lexy Campbell, who has settled in the strange land of California, and lives in a motel surrounded by an array of interesting characters who often help her solve crimes.  Her “real” job is working as a life coach, but honestly, sleuthing takes front and center stage for her.

In this outing McPherson has flipped the script, and sent Lexy and her buddies home (Lexy’s home, anyway) to Scotland for Christmas.  While it was a trip planned for just her and her fiancée, their buddy Roger the doc says he needs to get out of town and buys them all swanky airplane tickets – how can they refuse? read more

Sally Goldenbaum: A Twisted Skein

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Seaside Knitters Society #6

Intrigue and knitting abound in Sally Goldenbaum’s most recent addition to her Seaside Knitters Society series, A Twisted Skein. This is the sixth book, and follows yarn studio owner Izzy Perry and her friend Birdie as they investigate the death of one of Birdie’s fellow birders. A murder would be enough for anyone to have to deal with, but Izzy Perry also has a knitting themed fashion show she is sponsoring looming overhead as well. This makes her yarn shop busier than usual as everyone comes in to either to buy yarn and supplies, or to work on a project or two for the big show. The stress of the show is bad enough, but then she starts to fear that the police aren’t going to look deep enough into the murder. That they will go after the easiest and most obvious suspect, someone no one in the knitting circle can believe would be behind the murder. As such, there is only one thing to do: get out their knitting needles and their detective glasses and delve into things for themselves. read more

Victoria Laurie: Coaching Fire

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Cat & Gilley Life Coach #5

No one can claim that Victoria Laurie’s latest addition to her Cat & Gilley Life Coach series is a slow burn. This fifth book, Coaching Fire, starts off with Cat Cooper and Gilley Gillespie in the heat of things, and that sets the pace readers can expect. Cat and Gilley are in the lone star state of Texas for the famous Rose Festival, where Gilley’s new paramour, Stuart Jacobs, is heading the creation of all the royal court garb. But it isn’t all fun and games. A murder occurs on the very night Cat arrives in Texas and it puts pressure on Gilley’s new squeeze. At a time when he needs every last set of hands working on the Rose Queen’s court, he loses one set to police suspicion. Determined to help, Gilley and Cat join forces once again to help stop a killer before they get away with murder, or perhaps even commit another. read more

V.M. Burns: Murder on Tour

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Mystery Bookshop #9

There is a lot that goes into getting a book written and on shelves. After the author thinks it’s finally done, it then has to pass through the publishing gauntlet. Once it makes it through that, then the author must go about promoting their book to ensure sales stay up and their next book has a better chance of getting published. Often times they must promote at events with other authors who have many other books published and have a solid fan base. In Murder On Tour, V.M. Burns portrays our protagonist Samantha Washington’s struggle to be not just a published author, but a confident one. It does not help her ego any to be a last minute addition to a book festival, and that her table isn’t in a very ideal location. Luckily she has her grandma Nana Joe present to keep her confidence up and boost her morale. But, once behind the scenes, Samantha finds out that things are not all they appear to be. The infighting between these well-known authors is shocking and Samantha does her best to stay out of it. read more

Lauren Elliott: Murder in a Cup

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Crystals & CuriosiTEAS #2

Lauren Elliott’s second book in her Crystals & CuriosiTEAS series, Murder in a Cup, does not disappoint. Shay Myers is determined to make her new life in Monterey Peninsula a success and, given the popularity of her shop, that seems to be more than possible. With the help of her sister Jen, a local misfit teenager named Tassi, and of course her loyal dog Spirit, Shay has plenty of help in running Crystals & CuriosiTEAS. Serving tea and selling knick-knacks isn’t Shay’s only business, she also provides services as a Seer, such as reading tea leaves or palms. Given that she is a self-taught Seer, logical minded Shay is always a little nervous about exploring this more mystical side of herself. Luckily local pub owner and friend Liam has his Gran coming into town and she is a well versed Seer. Unfortunately for Shay, Gran is also more than a little pushy and has her committing to doing a group event reading before she’s really comfortable with it. read more