Cozy

Donna Andrews: Between a Flock and a Hard Place

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Meg Lanslow#35

Donna Andrews’ 35th book in her Meg Lanslow mystery series, Between a Flock and a Hard Place, focuses on a local home that is getting renovated by a brand new home renovation show, as well as a large group of wild feral turkeys. Someone took a whole flock of the large birds and released them into a neighborhood. For those that don’t know a lot about turkeys beyond their making a wonderful meal, turkeys are also territorial, aggressive, and huge in size. They also can, and will, chase you for as long as they want before they are satisfied that you have learned your lesson. Meg’s father is more than ready to lend a hand, and is excited at the prospect of getting his hands on so many turkeys to work with at the zoo, although he seems to be the only one enthusiastic about them. No one wants to prepare for combat just to check the mail, and they certainly aren’t thrilled with what the turkeys are doing to their yards – or anything they find irritating, such as stealing a windshield wiper blade from a car. read more

Frank Anthony Polito: Haunted to Death

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Domestic Partners in Crime #3

If you’re from southeast Michigan, these books really should be a must read.  This zippy cozy series is set in Pleasant Ridge and features Michigan details like Shinola watches and Sanders bumpy cake, but even if you aren’t from the mitten, these are still fun reads.  Main characters and life partners PJ and JP are, among other things, hosts of an “HDTV” home renovation series, where they take old houses and restore them to their former glory.  This charming gay couple reminds me strongly of my favorite couple on HGTV’s Detroit based Bargain Block, and like it or not, their faces have attached themselves to my reading of the books. read more

Scott Lyerly: The Last Line

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Debut

This dark theatre cozy is set in Avalon, Massachusetts, in the tiny Kaleidoscope Theater.  Theater owner and producer Ellie Marlowe, our main character, is opening a solid sounding show titled Murder in a Teacup. The attendance numbers look good and the show looks to be a success, with just one problem: the leading man is not a nice guy.  In the first few scenes, in encounter after encounter, the reader is shown (not told) of the man’s arrogant, demeaning, and downright rude behavior to basically all other humans in his orbit.  Since this is a murder mystery, he is quickly dispatched, though the question remains: did he simply have a heart attack?  Again, this is a murder mystery. read more

Krista Davis: The Diva Goes Overboard

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Domestic Diva #17

Krista Davis’ latest addition to her Domestic Diva Mysteries, The Diva Goes Overboard, follows event planner Sophie Winston in Old Town Alexandria. Her best, and highest maintenance friend, Natasha Smith, has wonderful but shocking news. Her free-spirited mother, Wanda, and local antiques dealer, Orson Chatsworth, are getting married. Sophie is thrilled to be asked to help Natasha get an engagement party together, but not so thrilled with the short time frame she’s given to work with. With the short notice, she already knows finding a venue is going to be more than a little challenging. read more

Ellie Alexander: A Smoking Bun

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Bakeshop #18

A Smoking Bun is the 18th Bake Shop Mystery book by Ellie Alexander. I was so excited to see the next instalment in our baker and part time detective Jules Capshaw’s adventures. Her ever growing foodie empire has been a joy to watch expand. Jules cares about her community and has forged her place in Ashland, Oregon after many trials and tribulations and has even settled her family here. It isn’t all family and fondant for her, however. Jules also has made a bit of a name for herself in helping the local police detective, known primarily as The Professor, and now also to her as stepdad, solve several murders. She tries her best to stay away from any dangerous situations, but when a friend is in need she cannot turn away. read more

Traci Hall: Murder at a Scottish Castle

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Scottish Shire #5

Traci Hall’s fifth book in her A Scottish Shire series is Murder at a Scottish Castle. This series has made an impact on me thanks to Hall’s ability to immerse readers in a Scottish atmosphere with her accurate use of the language and descriptions of the village of Nairn. Paisley, our protagonist, has been invited by the Dowager Countess to Ramsey Castle for an end of summer bagpiping competition. Even better news is that now she’s onto the Dowager Countess’ radar, as she wants to sell her cashmere goods at the castle gift shop. As a single mother and business owner, Paisley is always ready to go after extra sources of income. Of course, when she goes, she must take her son Brody, her grandpa, and their black Scottish terrier, Wallace, with her. Good competition and newly discovered rivalries keep the bagpiping competition going strong with lovely music and high spirits. That’s until one of the competitors, the reigning champion no less, suddenly collapses. Soon after, DI Zeffer is on the scene, proclaiming the champion not only dead but most likely murdered. read more

Heather Weidner: Twinkle, Twinkle Au Revoir

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Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe #2

Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir is Heather Weidner’s second book in her Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe series. The story follows Jade Hicks and her trusty side kick, French bulldog Chloe, as their town is invaded by Hollywood.  The popular television program ‘My Costal Valentine’ has decided Mermaid Bay is the perfect place to film their next instalment. The Hollywood invasion is received with the grace and poise one might expect, in that it turns the whole town completely on its head. Fans and reporters flood the streets, blocking traffic, getting into people’s yards for a hopeful glimpse of stardom. At least the local businesses are booming. Other than the surplus population in town and the sudden loss of privacy, the Hollywood shoot promises to put Mermaid Bay on the map. Unfortunately, the atmosphere sours when an overzealous reporter is found dead in one of the actor’s rooms. Then someone tries to kill the show’s male star, heartthrob to hundreds, Raphael Allard. Mermaid Bay starts to look a bit more nefarious than romantic. 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

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