The Trouble with Harriet

The Trouble with Harriet: An Ellie Haskell Mystery
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Alibi (June 13, 2017)
Print Length 288 Pages
ASIN: B01LYUULP3

In a murder mystery so charming it could only have come from Dorothy Cannell—hailed by Nancy Pickard as “America’s P. G. Wodehouse”—Ellie Haskell is shocked when her long-lost father shows up on her doorstep with some rather . . . compromising baggage.

Ellie Haskell and her husband, Ben, haven’t taken a vacation in years. Now their suitcases are packed, their tickets are booked, and they’re ready for a romantic getaway in France. But everything goes awry after a chain-smoking fortune teller makes a dire prediction: “Take that trip at your peril!” Those ominous words ring true when Ellie’s prodigal father, Morley, suddenly appears with the remains of his ladylove, Harriet, whose untimely death in a car accident has left him bereft.

But after Morley loses the urn in a bizarre series of events, Harriet’s family is furious. Now a bewildered Ellie finds herself asks some probing questions: Who or what was in that urn? Could her father be a pawn in a deadly game? And what exactly is the meaning of that darn prophecy? Ellie just hopes she lives to find out whether the answers are worth the trouble.

Praise for Dorothy Cannell and the Ellie Haskell series
“A thoroughly entertaining series.”—Cosmopolitan
“It is the absurd predicaments of her central characters that readers find themselves recalling, and Cannell is cunning at devising outlandish situations for them.”—Chicago Sun-Times
“Cannell is a master of subtle wit and humorous asides that lift her cozies to great heights. Before the influx of writers trying to out-humor Janet Evanovich, there was Dorothy Cannell. Long may she write!”—Library Journal

What I Thought:

This was the first book in this series that I have read and I wish I would have read others, though I was able to get into this one even though I hadn't read any of the others.  Ellie and her husband are going on a trip to France, but the prophecy of a fortune teller changes Ellie's plans, when Ellie's father shows up with an urn with the remains of Harriet.  This one kept me entertained from the very beginning as it was well written and had a lot of humor in it.  There were also many twists and turns that kept me guessing and turning the pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.


About The Author
Dorothy was born in Nottingham, England and came to the U.S. in 1963. She married Julian Cannell and they lived in Peoria, Illinois, from 1965 to 2004. They then moved to Maine where they now reside with their two dogs, Teddy and Watson.
Dorothy became an aspiring writer after taking English 110 at Illinois Central College and being encouraged to write for publication by the class teacher. Seven years later she sold her first short story.
Her first novel, The Thin Woman published in 1984 has been selected as one of the 100 favorite mysteries of the Twentieth Century by the Mystery Book Sellers of America. In 2014, Dorothy received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Malice Domestic. Dorothy has published eighteen novels and a collection of short stories.
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Treble at the Jam Fest

Treble at the Jam Fest
by Leslie Budewitz

Treble at the Jam Fest (A Food Lovers' Village Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Midnight Ink (June 8, 2017)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738752402
E-Book ASIN: B01M1FC4OK

Erin Murphy, manager of Murphy’s Mercantile (aka the Merc), is tuning up for Jewel Bay’s annual Jazz Festival. Between keeping the Merc’s shelves stocked with Montana’s tastiest local fare and hosting the festival’s kick-off concert, Erin has her hands full.

Discord erupts when jazz guitarist Gerry Martin is found dead on the rocks above the Jewel River. The one-time international sensation had fallen out of sync with festival organizers, students, and performers. Was his death an accident—or did someone even the score?

Despite the warning signs to not get involved, Erin investigates. And when the killer attacks, she orchestrates her efforts into one last crescendo, hoping to avoid a deadly finale.

What I Thought:

This one started a little slow, but soon picked up.  There is a Jazz Festival in town and when one of the musicians is murdered, Erin, of course has to become involved.  This was the first one of this series that I have read, but I wasn't lost as the author provides a list of the characters and gives a lot of background.  I enjoyed reading about the setting because the author described it so well.  The story flowed well, and once it moved along a little bit, it went pretty well. There were many suspects including locals and visitors in this one make many plot twists and keep you guessing.  The ending was a total surprise.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About The Author
Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries—and the first author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction. She lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat Ruff, a cover model and avid bird-watcher.

Connect with her on her website, http://www.LeslieBudewitz.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Purchase Links

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Bearly Departed

Bearly Departed
by Meg Macy

Bearly Departed (A Teddy Bear Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
New Series
Kensington (May 30, 2017)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496709639
E-Book ASIN: B01LJKQI7I

The Silver Bear Shop and Factory might be the cutest place around, but there’s nothing warm and fuzzy about murder . . .

As manager of the family teddy bear shop and factory, thirty-one-year-old Sasha Silverman leads a charmed life. Well, except for the part about being a single divorcée with a ticking biological clock in small-town Silver Hollow. And that’s just kid’s stuff compared to Will Taylor, the sales rep who’s set on making drastic changes to the business her parents built from scratch—with or without Sasha’s approval . . .

But before Will digs his claws in, someone pulls the stuffing out of his plan . . . and leaves his dead body inside the factory. Reeling from shock, Sasha’s hit with more bad news—police suspect her hot-tempered Uncle Ross may have murdered him. Sasha knows her uncle would never do such a thing, and she’s launching her own little investigation to expose the truth. As she tracks Will’s biggest rivals and enemies for clues, Sasha can’t get too comfy—or she’ll become the next plaything for a killer . . .

What I Thought:

Two things I love are teddy bears and cozy mysteries, so what could go better together than those two things!  This one did not disappoint me either.  It kept my attention from the very beginning and kept me guessing till the end.  I enjoyed visiting Silver Hollow and the Silver Bear Shop and Factory.  The story was well thought out and developed and the characters were all believable.  The book was well written and flowed really well, making it a quick read.  There were many twists and turns in this book that kept it interesting and kept you wondering who the killer was and why the victim was killed.  I will definitely be visiting Silver Hollow again soon, I can't wait for the next installment in the Teddy Bear Mystery. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About The Author

Award-winning mystery author Meg Macy lives in Southeast Michigan, close to Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and Dexter -- the area she chose for the setting of her new "Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear" cozy mystery series for Kensington. She is also one-half of the writing team of D.E. Ireland for the Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mystery series; two books have been named Agatha Award finalists. Meg's first published book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Best First Novel Spur Award from Western Writers of America. She's a graduate of Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction program. Meg loves reading mysteries, historicals, and other genre fiction, and also enjoys gardening, crafts, and watercolor painting.

Author Links: www.megmacy.com Meg Macy - Teddy Bear Cozy Mysteries Meg Macy on Twitter

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Marriage is Pure Murder

Marriage Is Pure Murder
by Staci McLaughlin

Marriage Is Pure Murder (A Blossom Valley Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Kensington (May 30, 2017)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0758294920
E-Book ASIN: B01LJKQFH6

Wedding bells are ringing at the O’Connell Organic Farm and Spa in California’s postcard-perfect Blossom Valley. The entire staff is pitching in to send one of their own down the aisle. But no one knew the nuptials could turn up so many secrets—or that marriage and murder could go hand in hand . . .

Dana Lewis is marrying Jason Forrester, a talented reporter and the love of her life. She couldn’t dream of a better venue than the farm where she works, and her friends are determined to give her the wedding of her dreams. Even her florist, Bethany Lancaster, is making sure she has just the right flowers. But Dana’s happiness wilts when she finds Bethany shot dead—and discovers her friend was a busybody with a blackmail list longer than a cathedral veil. With so many enemies, finding Bethany’s killer seems all but impossible. And when Dana herself is eyed as a suspect, she’ll have to chase down the culprit faster than she can say, “I do”—or she’ll be trading in her wedding dress for prison stripes . .

What I Thought:

Even though this is a series, you can read this without reading the others in the series without being lost because the author gives enough background so you know the characters.  The characters are well developed and enjoyable to read about.  In this installment, Dana is marrying Jason and when the florist is found dead, Dana becomes a person of interest in the murder.  There are a lot of twists and turns in this one to keep you guessing.  I really liked the writing style because it made the story flow really well.  I will definitely be reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy.

About The Author

Staci McLaughlin graduated from the California State University, East Bay before becoming a technical writer for a number of years. Now she is a stay-at-home mom and a cozy mystery writer in my spare time (Ha!). Once she can wrangle the kids into bed, my husband and I enjoy watching scary movies and playing both board games and video games.

She is currently a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, as well as a contributor to the LadyKillers blog at http://www.theladykillers.typepad.com/. She lives with my family in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Author Links:

Webpage - http://stacimclaughlin.com/home

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Staci-McLaughlin-161577987251041/

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Bad to the Bone

Bad To The Bone
by Linda O. Johnston

Bad to the Bone (A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Midnight Ink (May 8, 2017)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738746289
E-Book ASIN: B01M0SXJTR

Synopsis

Veterinary technician Carrie Kennersly, owner of the Barkery & Biscuits bakery for dogs, is reluctant to sell her recipes to pet food manufacturer VimPets. Jack Loroco, a VimPets representative, assures Carrie that it would be a great opportunity to grow her business. His promising new relationship with Carrie’s friend, Billi Matlock, doesn’t hurt his cause. But the budding romance takes a bad turn when Wanda Addler, another VimPets employee, sets her sights on Jack.

After threatening to ruin Jack’s career if he doesn’t give her what she wants, Wanda is found dead. Jack and Billi are put at the top of the suspect list, and Carrie is doggone determined to rescue them from a life behind bars.

What I Thought:

This was another great installment in the Barkery and Biscuits series.  If you are a dog lover, then this series is for you.  Carrie Kennersly and all the inhabitants of Knobcone Heights are back,and so is Jack Loroco who wants to buy a recipe for VimPets. When a friend of Carrie's friend, Billi becomes interested in Jack, it raises the ire of one of Jack's co-workers, Wanda. Of course, Wanda is found murdered, so Carrie has to get involved to help out her friend.  There were many twists and turns in this book that kept it really interesting, and since I am a dog lover, reading about all the wonderful dogs was a huge plus.  Linda Johnston is an excellent writer and I found myself engrossed in this one fairly quickly.  I look forward to more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About The Author –

Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year. Since then, Linda, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published more short stories, novellas, and 38 romance and mystery novels, including the Pet Rescue Mystery Series, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, and Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne. She additionally writes the Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink. Her latest cozy mystery series, the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries are also from Midnight Ink.

Author Links:

Webpage: www.LindaOJohnston.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaOJohnston

Purchase Links:

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The Final Vow

The Final Vow
by Amanda Flower

The Final Vow (A Living History Museum Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Midnight Ink (May 8, 2017)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738745923
E-Book ASIN: B01LWKJTY7

Synopsis

Summer weddings in Barton Farm's picturesque church are standard procedure for museum director Kelsey Cambridge. At least they were until the Cherry Foundation, which supports the museum, orders Kelsey to host her ex-husband's wedding on Farm grounds.

Ambitious wedding planner Vianna Pine is determined to make the bride's Civil War-themed wedding perfect. But each time Vianna's vision threatens the integrity and safety of the Farm, Kelsey has to intervene.

When Kelsey finds Vianna's dead body at the foot of the church steps, everyone's plans fall apart. With both the wedding and Barton Farm at risk of being permanently shut down, Kelsey has to work hard to save her own happily ever after.

What I Thought:

This is one of my favorite series and this installment was just as good as the other two in this series.  Even though this is a series, the titles can be read as stand alones because Amanda Flower does such a good job of explaining the background in each book.  In this installment,  Krissie, who is Kelsey's ex-husband's fiancé wants to get married at the chapel on Barton Farm.  Kelsey thinks it is a bad idea for several reasons, but Krissie's father makes it happen.  When the wedding planner is found dead, of course Kelsey has to get involved to help her beloved Barton Farm.  This was well written and flowed well.  There were many twists and turns to keep me guessing, which is what I like in a cozy mystery. The ending came as a total surprise.  I have come to care about these characters in this series, and I can not wait to read more about them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About This Author

Amanda Flower, a two-time Agatha Award-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. She also writes mysteries as national bestselling author Isabella Alan. In addition to being an author, Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland.

Author Links:

Website: http://amandaflower.com/

Pen Name Website: http://isabellaalan.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoramandaflower

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aflowerwriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3412728.Amanda_Flower

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aflowerwriter/

Purchase Links

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A Good Day to Buy

A Good Day to Buy (A Sarah W. Garage Sale Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Kensington (April 25, 2017)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496707512
E-Book ASIN: B01JEJCA4G

Synopsis

HER BROTHER IS NO BARGAIN
When Sarah Winston’s estranged brother Luke shows up on her doorstep, asking her not to tell anyone he’s in town—especially her ex, the chief of police—the timing is strange, to say the least. Hours earlier, Sarah’s latest garage sale was taped off as a crime scene following the discovery of a murdered Vietnam vet and his gravely injured wife—her clients, the Spencers.

BUT IS HE A KILLER?
All Luke will tell Sarah is that he’s undercover, investigating a story. Before she can learn more, he vanishes as suddenly as he appeared. Rummaging through his things for a clue to his whereabouts, Sarah comes upon a list of veterans and realizes that to find her brother, she’ll have to figure out who killed Mr. Spencer. And all without telling her ex . . .

What I Thought:


This was another great installment in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series.  Sarah is still working to get her garage sale business off the ground, deal with her ex-husband who is police chief, and on top of all that, her brother shows up unexpectedly.  When her latest garage sale client ends up dead, her brother is the main suspect.  This one had a lot of twists and turns in it.  Sarah just keeps developing more and more making for a very likable character.  The plot was great in this one as have been all the books in this series.  I look forward to more in this series.


I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About The Author

Agatha award nominated author, Sherry Harris, started bargain hunting in second grade at her best friend’s yard sale. She honed her bartering skills as she moved around the country while her husband served in the Air Force. Sherry uses her love of garage sales, her life as a military spouse, and her time living in Massachusetts as inspiration for the Sarah Winston Garage Sale series.

Author Links – 
Webpage – https://sherryharrisauthor.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/sherry.n.harris.1
Twitter – https://twitter.com/SHarrisAuthor
GoodReads  – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6208827.Sherry_Harris
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/snhgrad/
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