Kensington Cozies

Ann Claire: A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants

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Series debut

This is a charming debut, set in the French countryside.  As promised in the title, it provides both cycling and baked goods.  The main character, Sadie Greene, has shucked her secure actuary job in Chicago after the hit and run death of her best friend, Gem, and bought a French bicycle touring company.  She’s all in and her little company, Oui Cycle, is about to take off on it’s first tour. Joining her are – let’s be real – the suspects: her hometown almost family, the Appletons (parents, son, and girlfriend); a sleek German, Manfred; two Scottish sisters who can’t get enough of the baked goods; and a supposedly undercover travel writer, Nigel.  In true Murder, She Wrote style, two of the most unpleasant on the tour, Nigel and Dom Appleton, seem targeted for doom. read more

Daryl Wood Gerber: A Twinkle of Trouble

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Fairy Garden #5

As an enthusiast of mystery and fantasy novels, I am always delighted to find a series that manages to blend the two in an effective and engaging way, and Daryl Wood Gerber’s Fairy Garden Mystery series does just that. Her fifth book, A Twinkle of Trouble, follows our heroine Courtney Kelly during Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Summer Blooms Festival. Her fairy garden shop Open Your Imagination is hosting a booth this year alongside many other local shops and influencers. Other than excitement for the event itself, Courtney is glad for the distraction. Her stalwart companion Fiona has been gone for a bit, having returned to the fairy realm to see her family. Worry for her righteous fairy friend, and what reception she might have received at home, Courtney is determined to focus on the festival as well as some other new side projects. Not to mention her blossoming romance with local restaurant owner, Brady Cash. read more

Leslie Meier: Patchwork Quilt Murder

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Lucy Stone #30

Leslie Meier has delighted us with twenty-nine Lucy Stone Mysteries, and hits the thirty book milestone with Patchwork Quilt Murder. Lucy Stone works as a reporter for Tinker Cove’s local paper, The Courier. Her investigative skills have helped Lucy, in her small town in Maine, solve many a crime alongside the local police. In Patchwork Quilt Murder the town is taking on the new community center with its high-priced director, Darleen Busby-Platt. As with any tax payer funded project, there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. Some think it cost too much, some are more focused on Darleen and her questionable price tag, while others are focusing on the possible environmental harm the community center might cause in the long run. Darleen is more than pleased to talk to Lucy Stone, and mentions the first sponsored event will focus on handmade quilts including her own mother’s historical one. Lucy’s interest in the event, however, does not distract from her noticing how flashy Darleen happens to be, and how abusive she is to her own staff. Despite how wonderful Darleen makes everything out to be, there seems to be more to the story. read more

Nancy Coco: Three Fudges and a Baby

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Candy Coated Mystery #12

Three Fudges and a Baby is Nancy Coco’s twelfth book in her Candy Coated Mystery series. Allie McMurphy is our protagonist, and she has one of the most important jobs on Earth: Fudge Maker. She is also a hotel manager for her Mackinac McMurphy hotel, but that’s not nearly important as her attached fudge shop, at least as far as I’m concerned. Allie loves her hotel and fudge shop equally, but has a bit of a problem taking a step away from her work. She has integrated herself into the culture of the island, and has become a staple thanks to winning a fudge competition the year before. Her best friend Jen also lives on the island, and is expecting her first baby any day. Her support system is in place for her to have the baby on the island instead of on the mainland hospital. She even has a Doula, Hannah, to be there to advocate and support her through the birth. read more

Karen Rose Smith: Murder Marks the Page

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Tomes & Tea #1

I have been a longtime fan of Karen Rose Smith’s Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series. I cannot really express how thrilled I was to hear Karen Rose Smith was starting a spin-off series focusing on Daisy Swanson’s daughter Jazzi. Murder Marks the Page follows Jazzi to New York State’s Belltower Landing where she opened Tomes & Tea with her college friend Dawn. Belltower Landing is a resort town and flourishes during the summer months with tourists and boating activities aplenty. As a brand new business, Tomes & Tea faces the challenges of the first year, not being sure what their fiscal outcome will be, or if they’ll even be able to stay afloat once the tourists depart at the end of summer. read more

Isis Crawford: A Catered Quilting Bee

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Mystery with Recipes #18

In Isis Crawford’s seventeenth book, A Catered Quilting Bee, sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons find themselves in for far more than they bargained for when they are hired to cater the Longely Sip and Sew Quilting Circle’s fist exhibit event. First one of the members is found dead, and Bernie and Libby are hired by Cecelia Larson to investigate. Suicide appears to be the cause of death, and the local authorities rule it as such, but her friends just cannot believe it.  What starts as a basic fact-finding quest turns into a full-blown murder investigation for the Simmons sisters. Luckily their father was an impressive detective back in his day on the force, and he raised his girls to investigate and sleuth out the truth, even if their actual profession is more about solving the perfect recipe instead of the perfect crime. read more

Traci Wilton: Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid

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Salem B & B #8

There are very few places more ideal for supernatural themed cozies than Salem, Massachusetts. Traci Wilton takes full advantage of the town’s mystical air, and has based each of her eight books around some sort of mythical being. Her eighth Salem B&B Mystery, Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid, highlights the town’s first ever Mermaid Parade. Charlene Morris’ B&B is bursting with people eager to participate and compete in the parade. There is also a local, and retired, Hollywood celebrity mermaid, Trinity Powers, who will be making her first public appearance in years. She is famous for her role in the movie Sirena, which has a massive fan base. But she isn’t the only big name to show up. Sirena got a remake, and the star of that movie is shimmying her way to center stage with her own fan mob. Needless to say, the opposing fan groups are pretty opinionated, and are unfortunately more than willing to escalate things. Luckily, the stars themselves are more interested in making their own public appearances a success then sending their fans after each other. read more

Emily George: A High Tide Murder

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Cannabis Cafe #2

Quick disclaimer for this particular review: this book is a part of the Cannabis Café mystery series by Emily George. Legalized cannabis and its uses are a major theme in A High Tide Murder. If this topic puts you off, please stop reading. Right now. Medical use is the driving motivation, but it is also used recreationally by the café patrons. 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. Cozies are meant to be an enjoyable escape, but not every book is for everyone. For those who do not mind, or perhaps even enjoy seeing legalized cannabis normalized, this is indeed a review and book for you. If not? Again, stop reading this. read more

Darci Hannah: Murder at the Blarney Bash

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Beacon Bakeshop #5

Darci Hannah starts Murder at the Blarney Bash mystery running. Literally. The main focus of the story runs full speed into our heroine Lindsey’s car on her way home with her trusty Newfoundland, Wellington. However, whoever it was got away before she could ensure their well being, or find out who they were. Or what they were. She does not have time to dwell on it, as a league of leprechauns is heading right to her Beacon Bakeshop. Leprechaun children, that is, from the local school who are all looking forward to a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration chock full of tasty green pastries. So Lindsey has to race to beat them there, or at least not be too late. 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