Cozy

Diane Kelly: Dead Post Society

by

House Flipper #7

In Diane Kelly’s seventh House flipper Mystery, Dead Post Society, main character Whitney Flynn, a carpenter in Nashville Tennessee, works with her father and cousin Buck. She and her cousin  also flip houses, and she solves mysteries in her spare time. Her husband and homicide detective Collin isn’t always pleased to have her poking around in murder cases. His love for her motivates him to want her to stay out of it and be safe, the detective in him welcomes her insight and whatever clues she happens to supply. Currently, Whitney and Buck haven’t been flipping houses for a few months because his wife is about to give birth to their first child. The family is beyond excited, and once the little bundle of joy arrives, it doesn’t take Whitney long to come across a fresh project for them. read more

Korina Moss: Bait and Swiss

by

Cheese Shop #6

Gouda news readers, the sixth book in Korina Moss’ Cheese Shop Mystery series is here. In Bait and Swiss, Willa Bauer is celebrating the second year of her shop, Curds and Whey, being open and successful in Yarrow Glen. Her employees and friends, Mrs. Schultz and Archie, are now also joined by a fellow cheese enthusiast, June. Willa is rightfully proud of her shop’s success and is going all out for its birthday celebration, complete with cheese from around the world themes on rotation throughout the day and costumes to match. There is more cause to celebrate around town when Hope is ready to reveal and open her new cakery shop. Ever ready to support her community and friends, Willa and team are excited to attend the grand opening event, until she sees who Hope’s new partners are. read more

Allie Pleiter: One Sharp Stitch

by

Nimble Needle #1

One Sharp Stitch is the first of the Nimble Needle Mysteries by Allie Pleiter. Readers are taken to Gwen Lake, outside of Asheville, North Carolina, with Shelby Phillips. Having just lost her job as well as a possible relationship, Shelby is headed home for a break from her life and to help her mother out at her needlepoint shop, the Nimble Needle. Her parents are finally taking a vacation in their RV. Shelby will only be minding the shop for a month, as she keeps reminding her parents and her perfectionist sister, Jessica. There’s also a trunk show coming up for local vendors, and Shelby will have to work with an old classmate, Kat Katsaros, who now makes needlework scissors — very artsy and expensive needlework scissors. Kat also sharpens blades of all kinds in a van that she happily uses to transport her scissors and crafts. read more

Nikki Knight: Hound of the Bonnevilles

by

Grace the Hit Mom #2

This is the second book in the deliciously high concept “Hit Mom” series.  Knight’s heroine, Grace Adair, only takes out those who truly deserve it.  And she does it in an untraceable way.  Book one had many details of the way her organization functions; this second book deals more with fallout of actions taken by Grace and her fellow murder-y sisters.  While this sounds intense, humor is on tap here.

While Grace is a “hit mom” she’s also a mom-mom, as well as an editor and a sometime practicing lawyer.  In other words, she’s extremely busy.  She and her husband, who have a solid and affectionately loving marriage, share a fairly low maintenance son but her life still revolves around school drop off and pick up time.  It’s truly amazing what she manages to fit in between those times. read more

S.K. Golden: The Socialite’s Guide to Sleuthing and Secrets

by

Pinnacle Hotel #3

This adorable series continues to be both adorable and thoughtful.  The heroine, hotel heiress and agoraphobe Evelyn Murphy, dresses almost completely in pink and dyes her hair blonde like her idol, Marilyn.  It’s 1958 and Elvis rules, as does Evelyn’s spoiled pom, Presley.  Evelyn’s almost boyfriend Mac has taken off for parts unknown, and so she’s entertaining ideas of other suitors throughout the book.

The main story, however, centers on the “Ladies Who Love to Sparkle”, women who sell costume jewellery, Tupperware party style.  As Evelyn enjoys tea in her hotel’s dining room, one of the sparkle ladies asks her to join them.  They share their catalogue, and all share a glass of champagne.  So far so good, but then the leader of the group collapses in Evelyn’s lap and later dies in the hospital. read more

Carlene O’Connor: Murder in an Irish Garden

by

Irish Village #11

In Carlene O’Connor’s latest Irish Village mystery, garda heroine Siobhan O’Sullivan is studying for her detective sergeant exam, which is causing her quite a bit of stress. She is looking forward to relaxing with the local gardening competition, as well as the opening of her brother’s restaurant. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that gardeners take their craft very seriously, especially those who feel confident enough in their skills to compete on the quality of their work. Kilbane County Cork, Ireland, has plenty of talented amateur gardeners keen to show off their skills and win. However, this year a former Kilbane resident and professional landscape designer Cassidy Ryan is returning home to try and claim the prize for herself. She’s also been hired by Siobhan’s brother, Eoin, to help spruce things up for the grand opening. read more

Emily George: A Cold Dose of Murder

by

Cannabis Café #3

Just a disclaimer for this review: this book is a part of the Cannabis Café mystery series by Emily George, and legalized cannabis and its uses are major theme in A Cold Dose of Murder. If you find that topic off-putting, please stop reading. Right now. Medical use is the primary motivation, but responsible recreational use is also portrayed. As the book cover, and many characters, emphasize: consume responsibly. This goes for reading about it, too. If you know legalized cannabis isn’t something you are comfortable with, do not read this review or the book. Not every book is for everyone. For those who do not mind or perhaps even enjoy seeing legalized cannabis normalized and represented, this is indeed a review and book for you. read more

Nicholas George: A Lethal Walk in Lakeland

by

A Walk Through England #2

This series, one of the sweetest around, centers on Widower Chase, a retired policeman, who, enthralled by the beauty of the British countryside, goes on frequent walking tours.  This is the second book in the series and so far every time Chase goes on one of these journeys, someone gets murdered.  In the first one, he met a man, Mike, a coroner in the UK (Chase is American) and sparks flew.  In this installment they will be reunited, but Chase’s walk through Lake Country is the real focus, and the pair don’t even get together until nearly the end. read more

Angela M. Sanders: The Witch is Back

by

Witch Way Librarian #6

In Angela Sanders’ sixth addition to her Witch Way Librarian series, The Witch is Back, readers travel to Wilfred, Oregon, to join local librarian Josie Way, who also just so happens to have a literal bit of magic with books. Coming from a long line of witches, Josie is blessed with some truly powerful magic that manifests itself through books. They whisper to her, based on either what the magic feels she needs, or in response to questions she poses to them. But she has to be careful: even without things like witch trials going on, it isn’t safe to just flaunt her powers about the small town. So when she does use her abilities it is often secretly, and primarily to help others. Not even her boyfriend and local sheriff, Sam, knows of her secret. At this point she has also used her powers to help solve several mysteries and murders about her otherwise quiet and peaceful town. read more

Ginger Bolton: Blame the Beignets

by

Deputy Donut #9

Blame the Beignets is the ninth Deputy Doughnut cozy by Ginger Bolton, where heroine Emily Westhill runs the Deputy Doughnut Café in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. The shop’s mascot is an adventurous tabby cat that the café is named after, Deputy Doughnut, although most of the time Emily just calls him Dep. One of her employees, Olivia, has gotten Emily to give her younger sister Hannah a shot at working in the café as she takes a break from college. Hannah seems to be fitting in just fine, until some new customers arrive: two gentlemen who know Hannah from college and who both seem rather interested in her personally. Olivia is less than thrilled. Emily doesn’t mind the two hanging out at the café assuming that it doesn’t disrupt Hannah’s work. read more