Truffles and Tragedy: A Down South Cafe Mystery Book by Gayle Leeson

About Truffles and Tragedy

 

Truffles and Tragedy: A Down South Cafe Mystery 

Cozy Mystery 6th in Series Publisher: Grace Abraham Publishing (March 16, 2021) Number of Pages: 295 (approximately) Digital ASIN: B08VMM8F27

Down South Cafe owner Amy Flowers learns her chocolate truffles might not be the only things her patrons find "out of this world."

When her cousin, Jackie, asks her to give a presentation to her online class, Amy thinks all she has to worry about is speaking before a group. But then the nitpicky professor collapses. He has been murdered, and hot-tempered Jackie is the prime suspect. Some online forums are even speculating that the professor was an extra-terrestrial, so Amy must sort out fact from fiction to get to the truth.

Certain the real killer is setting Jackie up, will Amy be able to outwit the killer and save her cousin?

What I Thought:

 This was another great installment in the Down South Cafe series. I have a read a few in the series, not all and I always enjoy what I read, this one was no exception. In this one, Jackie is going back to school and has a hard to deal-with professor. When she asks Amy to be presenter for her online class for this professor, Amy agrees. On the evening Amy is to present and while she is presenting, the professor collapses. It is learned that he had been poisoned and Jackie is the main suspect. Of course Amy has to investigate to prove her cousin is not a killer.  I like the setting of this book, it reminds me of where I live in a very small close-knit community. The characters who work at Amy's Down Home Cafe are very close, like family. I find that to be endearing. There were some new characters in this book that were not so likable and he author did a great job of portraying them in a way for the reader not to like them. There were not a whole lot of suspects in this book, and not a lot of twists like in some other stories, but it was still very good, very well written, and the plot was believable. When the reveal of the killer took place, I was surprised as it was not what I expected. I will definitely be reading more in this series and hope to get caught up on the ones that I have missed. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Gayle Leeson

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. Gayle has also written as Amanda Lee and Gayle Trent. Going forward, Gayle intends to keep her writing under the Gayle Leeson name. She lives with her beautiful family in the hills of Southwest Virginia.

Author Links Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GayleLeeson/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Gayle-Leeson/e/B01NBSTBDU/ BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gayle-leeson Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/426208.Gayle_Trent Twitter: https://twitter.com/GayleTrent Newsletter sign-up form: https://forms.aweber.com/form/14/1780369214.htm Purchase Link - Amazon a Rafflecopter giveaway

Murder By Page One

 

Murder by Page One: A Peach Coast Library Mystery by Olivia Matthews

About Murder Page One

 

Murder by Page One: A Peach Coast Library Mystery 

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Publisher: Hallmark Publishing (March 23, 2021) Print length: 328 pages Digital ASIN: B08KHPBDBS

If you love Hallmark mystery movies, you’ll love this cozy mystery with humor, intrigue, and a librarian amateur sleuth.

 

Marvey, a librarian, has moved from Brooklyn to a quirky small town in Georgia. When she’s not at the library organizing events for readers, she’s handcrafting book-themed jewelry and looking after her cranky cat. At times, her new life in the South still feels strange...and that’s before the discovery of the dead body in the bookstore.

 

After one of her friends becomes a suspect, Marvey sets out to solve the murder mystery. She even convinces Spence, the wealthy and charming newspaper owner, to help. With his ties to the community, her talents for research, and her fellow librarians’ knowledge, Marvey pursues the truth. But as she gets closer to it, could she be facing a deadly plot twist?

 

This first in series cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Classic Peach Cobbler.

What I Thought:

This is the first installment in the Peach Coast Library Mystery series, and features, Marvey, a librarian from New York who  has moved to the small town of Peach Coast Ga. Things are a lot different for Marvey in this small southern town that what she is used to. When her friend, Jolene has a book signing at her new book store To Be Read for a local author, Fiona Lyle-Hayes, and Fiona is found murdered in the back room of the book store, Jo becomes the prime suspect. Marvey, Jo, and their friend, Spence, investigate to find out who the real killer is. This was a fast paced cozy that kept me turning the pages. This one kept my attention from the very beginning and kept it throughout he book. I liked the characters in the book, the were realistic and likeable. The plot was well thought out and the story was well written and flowed really well. There were many suspects in this story and the author threw in just enough curveballs to throw me off as to who the killer really was. I was completely surprised by the reveal of the killer. I look forward more to in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Olivia Matthews

Olivia Matthews is the cozy mystery pseudonym for Patricia Sargeant, a national best-selling, award-winning author. Her work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. For more information about Patricia and her work, visit PatriciaSargeant.com.

Author Links Website: https://PatriciaSargeant.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPatriciaSargeant. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BooksbyPatricia BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/olivia-matthews Purchase Links - Amazon - Hallmark Publishing - Apple - Barnes & Noble - Bookshop - Fantastic Fiction - Kobo -

A Side of Murder

A Side of Murder (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery) by Amy Pershing

About A Side of Murder

A Side of Murder (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Publisher: Berkley (February 23, 2021) Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages ISBN-10: 0593199146 ISBN-13: 978-0593199145 Digital ASIN: B087PL9HHF

Beautiful Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is known for seafood, sand, surf and now … murder.

 

Samantha Barnes was always a foodie. And when the CIA (that’s the Culinary Institute of America) came calling, she happily traded in Cape Cod for the Big Apple. But then the rising young chef’s clash with another chef (her ex!) boils over and goes viral. So when Sam inherits a house on the Cape and lands a job writing restaurant reviews, it seems like the perfect pairing. What could go wrong? Well, as it turns out, a lot.

 

The dilapidated house comes with an enormous puppy. Her new boss is, well, bossy. And the town’s harbor master is none other than her first love. Nonetheless, Sam’s looking forward to reviewing the Bayview Grill—and indeed the seafood chowder is divine. But the body in the pond outside the eatery was not on the menu. Sam is certain this is murder. But as she begins to stir the pot, is she creating a recipe for her own untimely demise?

 

“Cape Cod provides a stunning background for a debut that offers the ideal combination of mystery, romance, and recipes.” Kirkus Reviews

“An exquisite Cape Cod setting, a shamed but resilient chef, murderous secrets, and a long-buried but still steaming romance… Amy Pershing’s debut mystery will leave you longing for a seaside vacation, complete with fried clams and the next book in her charming series.” Lucy Burdette, national bestselling author of THE KEY LIME CRIME

 

“This is one of the freshest, funniest murder mysteries I’ve ever read. I fell absolutely in love with Samantha Barnes — the brave, sarcastic, crime-solving, relatable heroine we’ve all been waiting for. A Side of Murder is a rich, satisfying meal that delights from beginning to end, and Amy Pershing is a wonderful and clever author.” Elizabeth Gilbert, #1 New York Times bestselling author of EAT PRAY LOVE and CITY OF GIRLS

 

“A delicious mystery lovingly set in Cape Cod featuring a cast of charming characters. Amy Pershing writes with a fresh fun voice that will delight cozy fans. Chef turned restaurant critic Samantha Barnes proves a clever sleuth whose helpful cooking tips will be a big hit with culinary readers.” Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the DOMESTIC DIVA mysteries

What I Thought:

A Side of Murder is the first in a new Series, the Cape Cod Foodie Mystery Series. In this book, Samantha has moved back to the Cape from New York after an embarrassing altercation with her ex. She is hired by her friend, Krista, who is the editor of the local paper that Samantha's parents used to work for, to write a new column about local restaurants. One her first assignment, Samantha finds the body of local woman who used to be a waitress and caused some problems for Samantha and a crush she used to have named Jason. The police want to assume the death is an accident but Samantha is not so sure, so she sets out to find the truth with the help of her friends, Jenny, Miles, Helene, Krista, and Jason, who is now the Harbor Master. Samantha gets herself into a tight situation and her friends have to come to her resuce.

This was an interesting read from the very beginning. Cape Cod is a place I would like to visit, so I found the setting very interesting. I found the plot to the well thought out and well written. I liked Samantha and all of her quirky friends. I was surprised by the ending of this one and that there was more than one mystery in this one, and one mystery was not even suspected at all. This book kept my attention and kept me flipping the pages till the very end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

   

About Amy Pershing

Amy Pershing is a lifelong mystery lover and wordsmith who spent every summer of her childhood on Cape Cod. In her previous incarnations she was an assistant editor at Viking Penguin, a restaurant reviewer for Playbill magazine’s Restaurant Reporter, and a journalist at the Rome (Italy) Daily American before eventually going on to lead employee communications at a global bank. A few years ago (with the final college tuition bill paid), she waved goodbye to Wall Street in order to write full time (and spend more time sailing on Cape Cod!). A Side of Murder is the first book in the Cape Cod Foodie mystery series featuring Samantha Barnes, a disgraced but resilient ex-chef and the world’s most reluctant YouTube star. While Sam tries to balance her new job as the local paper’s “Cape Cod Foodie” with her complicated love life, a posse of just-slightly-odd friends, a falling-down house and a ginormous puppy, she also discovers a new talent – a propensity for falling over dead bodies … and for solving crime.

Website: https://amypershingauthor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amypershingauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amypershingauthor/?hl=en Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20632873.Amy_Pershing Purchase Links: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Bookshop.org - Books A Million - Indiebound - Target - Hudson Booksellers - Powells a Rafflecopter giveaway