Killer Romance

 

A Killer Romance (A Beach Reads Mystery) by Maggie Blackburn

About A Killer Romance

A Killer Romance (A Beach Reads Mystery) Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting - North Carolina Crooked Lane Books (February 6, 2024) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639106359 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639106356 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C4J77BVN

Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.

When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.

As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.

As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.

What I Thought:

This is the second book in the Beach Reads Mystery Series that I have read. I thought this one flowed well and the storyline was believable. In this one, it is close to Valentine's Day and Beach Reads is hosting a romance author who is there to talk about her new book based on Romeo and Juliet. Lana Livingston. On the way to pick up Lana at the airport, Summer falls down the steps and sprains her ankle, leaving her laid up for the "Romance By the Sea" event. Summer finds out later that evening that detective from Pittsburgh is in on St Brigid's to watch Lana as she is accused of murdering her husband. Summer is more than a little distressed by this. But then, Lana is found dead in her B & B room the next morning, and Summer's friend Glads is the main suspect. Summer and her friends have to prove that Glads is not the killer. They also find out there are more sinister things going on on St Brigid's than just murder. I enjoy the setting of this book and the characters are all likable. The story flowed well and kept my attention. There were a few suspects, including some law enforcement officers. But there were twists and turns thrown it that kept leading to more suspects. I was floored by the reveal of the killer in this book and did not see that coming at all. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  

About Maggie Blackburn

Maggie Blackburn is the pen name for bestselling mystery author Mollie Cox Bryan, who writes cozy mysteries with edge. She's the author of several bestselling mystery series Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman's World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People's Choice Award. She's also penned a historical mystery under the name of Mollie Ann Cox. She lives in Crozet, Va. and is the mother of two grown, nearly perfect daughters.

Author Links Website http://www.molliecoxbryan.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/molliecoxbryanauthor/ Twitter/ X https://twitter.com/molliecoxbryan Instagram https://www.instagram.com/molliebryan/ TikTok @molliebryan Purchase Links Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org

Hammers and Homicide

Hammers and Homicide (A Hometown Hardware Mystery) by Paula Charles

About Hammers and Homicides

 

Hammers and Homicide (A Hometown Hardware Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Oregon Crooked Lane Books (January 16, 2024) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 280 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639105999 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639105991 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9PJXCFG

Perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Victoria Gilbert, when a body is found in a hardware store, will Dawna Carpenter’s sleuthing measure up to find the killer?

Recent sexagenarian widow Dawna Carpenter thought running her own hardware store after the death of her husband was hard enough. With her adult daughter, April, moving back into town, and Darlene, the annoying boutique owner next door to her shop poking around, Dawna has her hands full. But when she finds a dead man in the bathroom of her store, with a framing hammer by his side, she’s in way over her head.

The victim, Warren Highcastle, was a land developer who was looking to purchase the old theater in town to build a new hotel. Dawna and April, worried about the implications of the crime scene at the hardware store, put themselves on the case. They soon learn that Warren had made quite a few enemies in his short amount of time in town. As the suspect list starts growing, so too do the threats against Dawna and April. Can Dawna and April nail the killer before they strike again?

What I Thought:

This is the first in a new series, A Hometown Hardware Series, and the first book I have read by this author. This was  a fast read that kept my attention throughout. I enjoyed the setting of this book and the protagonist, Dawna, was very likable. I thought this book went really fast. Dawna owns and runs a hardware store that she and her husband had together. Her husband passed away due to a heart attack, but Dawna thinks his spirit is still with her. When a local real estate developer is found dead in the bathroom that Dawna store shares with the store next door, Dawna has to investigate, especially when her husband's ex partner is the main suspect. Again I thought this was a very fast read. It flowed well and the plotline was believable. There are a few suspects and Dawna makes a few of them upset by her questions. The reveal was totally surprising and I was as surprised as Dawna by he reveal of the killer. I will definitely be looking into more in this series. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

 

About Paula Charles

When Paula Charles isn't writing under the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest, she can be found in the garden with her hands in the dirt or sitting on her front porch with a good book and a glass of iced tea. She has a love for small towns, ghost stories, and pie. Paula lives on a small farm in Southwestern Washington with her patient husband and a handful of furry and feathered critters. Paula also writes cozy mysteries under the pen name of Janna Rollins. Author Links Website: Cozy Mystery Writer | Paula Charles Cozy Mystery Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jannarollinsauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulacharles_jannarollins/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show41170333.Paula_Charles Purchase Links - PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org

Murder at the Scottish Castle

 

Murder at a Scottish Castle: A Scottish Cozy Mystery (A Scottish Shire Mystery) by Traci Hall

About Murder at a Scottish Castle

Murder at a Scottish Castle: A Scottish Cozy Mystery (A Scottish Shire Mystery) Cozy Mystery 5th in Series Setting - Nairn, Scotland Kensington Cozies (January 23, 2024) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496744373 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496744371 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C3WTZYGT

USA Today bestselling author returns with the latest novel in a Scottish seaside cozy knitting mystery series featuring busy single mom Paislee Shaw, owner of a specialty sweater shop, knitting enthusiast, and reluctant sleuth who must untangle another murderous yarn!

With the summer days getting shorter in the seaside village of Nairn, the annual bagpiping competition at Ramsey Castle promises to be quite the end-of-season blowout. Paisley has snagged a special invitation from the Dowager Countess, who wants to showcase her cashmere goods in the castle gift shop, and she’s brought her son Brody, Grandpa, and their black Scottish terrier Wallace. There’s a fierce rivalry between Robert Grant, the Earl of Lyon, and last year’s winner Jory Baxter, with Grant loudly vowing to show up the blowhard Baxter and claim clan bragging rights. But the reigning champion has barely put the reed to his lips when he turns red and collapses, soon to take his dying breath. DI Zeffer confirms foul play, suspecting the reed may have been poisoned. With a murderer in their midst, the rest of Nairn won’t breathe easy until Paisley applies her sleuthing skills to make sure justice is served and the killer pays the piper . . .

What I Thought:

This is the fifth installment in the Scottish Shire mystery series. I have read the first book in this series, but had not gotten to the other three yet. There are references of things that happened in other books in this one, but I did not feel like I was lost.  I enjoy the setting of this book, which is a the shire of Nairn in Scotland. The author does a good job describing the setting. In this one, Paislee, Brody, Grandpa and Wallace have went to Ramsey Castle where Paislee is going to start selling her cashmere knitted goods. There is clan band competition at the Castle that day as well. When one of the bagpipers collapses and later dies, Paislee is drug into the investigation as her yarn deliverer, Jerry, is a suspect. Paislee had no idea that a band competition could be so cutthroat. On top of that, Paislee has a major issue at her home to deal with as well. I found this book entertaining, it kept my attention from the time I started till I finished it. I thought the plot was well thought out. It was not an easy mystery to solve as it was unsure if the death was a murder or a tragic accident. I like Paislee a lot, she is an independent woman who owns her own business and tries to raise her son on her own. This is a great series and I look forward to more and will definitely go back and read the others I have missed.

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

About Traci Hall

From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone.

Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it's her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.

Traci wants to hear from you! Traci@TraciHall.com Author Links Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracie.hall.35/ GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20716027.Traci_Hall Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/tracihallauthor BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/traci-hall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor/ Website: https://www.tracihall.com/ Purchase Links Amazon Barnes and Noble Apple Kobo

Deadly to the Core

 

Deadly to the Core (A Cider House Mystery) by Joyce Tremel

About Deadly to the Core

Deadly to the Core (A Cider House Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Pennsylvania Crooked Lane Books (January 16, 2024) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 250 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639105433 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639105434 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C2P4QB9T

Perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Julie Anne Lindsey, when Kate Mulligan inherits her great uncle’s fruit orchard, she quickly realizes that apples aren’t the only thing that can have rotten cores.

After losing her husband in a terrible car crash, thirty-five-year-old Kate is left to pick up the pieces of her life alone. Although she has physically recovered, she worries her spirit never will. But when she learns that she has inherited a fruit orchard in a small town just outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, from her great uncle Stan, she takes this as an opportunity ripe for the picking. Kate knew immediately what to do with it: open a cider house. Her hopeful plans fall far from the tree when she finds the body of the orchard manager, Carl Randolph, leaving her to figure out who is at the core of this murder.

She had been in correspondence with Carl, who had agreed with her brilliant idea of opening a cider house. But not everyone is so quick to buy what she was selling—Uncle Stan’s lawyer, Robert Larabee, paints a less rosy financial outlook of the orchard’s past, present, and future.

Kate discovers that Carl had large, unexplained deposits to his bank account and it becomes clear that either he was blackmailing someone, or someone was paying him to keep quiet. Meanwhile, Kate and her neighbors receive offers to buy their property from a mysterious buyer. And there’s more than meets the eye with the neighboring orchard owner, Daniel Martinez, although Kate can’t quite put her finger on if it’s sweet or sour.

Will she be able to pick out the bad apple among the bunch before it’s too late?

What I Thought:

This is the first installment in the Cider House Mystery Series. I enjoyed this cozy. I liked the setting and the characters were all likable. In this one, Kate has moved to Orchardville, PA, to take over her uncle's orchard after recovering from a devastating accident that claimed the life of her husband. Kate has plans to open a Cider House in the old barn. Her uncle's orchard manager, Carl has started the renovations on the barn. When Kate finds Carl's dead body, she has to uncover some shady dealings to solve the crime. I thought this story flowed well and was a fast read. My attention was held from the very beginning of the book. I thought the plot was well thought out. There were several suspects and a lot of people in town had a lot of secrets, so there were many twists and turns that kept  me guessing to the very end. I look forward to more in this series as I am anxious to see how Kate makes out with her Cider House. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

 

About Joyce Tremel

Joyce Tremel was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers, but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail. In addition to the Cider House Mysteries, she wrote the Brewing Trouble Mysteries. As Joyce St. Anthony, she writes the Homefront News historical mysteries. She lives in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania with her husband and two cats named Hops and Lager.

Author Links Website www.joycetremel.com Facebook www.facebook.com/JoyceTremel X/Twitter www.twitter.com/JoyceTremel GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13746162.Joyce_Tremel Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org - PenguinRandomHouse

Sniffing out Murder

 

Sniffing Out Murder (A Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery) by Kallie E. Benjamin

About Sniffing Out Murder

Sniffing Out Murder (A Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Indiana Berkley (December 5, 2023) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593547357 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593547359 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BXKHGG75

When a murder unleashes a widespread investigation through Crosbyville, children’s book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, must sniff out the truth before the whole town goes to the dogs.

After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

What I Thought: 

This is the first Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery. I was drawn to this book because I think Bloodhounds are such cute doggies and I thought this would be an interesting read. I was not wrong. Bailey was the star of this book. In this one Pris his owner as a meeting with a students parents, Joe and Whitney, on her last day of bein a teacher. The mother of the student is her archrival from High School. Later on, Pris and Bailey are are Aunt Agatha's diner and  Joe and Whitney come in. There is a shouting match and threats are issued. The next morning while Pris has Bailey on his morning walk, he finds Whitney's dead body in a flower bed at the park. Even after being warned to stay out of the investigation, Bailey and Pris investigate anyone, I mean after all, Pris does write the popular Bailey the Bloodhound mystery books for kids. 

I enjoyed the setting of this book, a semi-small town in Indiana. There were some interesting characters as well, but Bailey stole the show, he was by far the best. The book flowed well and kept my attention throughout. I was not sure for a while who the killer was, then I thought I figured it out. I thought I knew but I could not figure out what the motive for the killing could be. Pris and Bailey do a good job investigating, even though Pris is juggling two love interests as well as trying to solve two murders. The reveal was a little surprising. As I said I thought I knew who the killer was just not why. I liked all the twists and turns that did leaving me second guessing if I really knew who the killer was. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Kallie E. Benjamin

Kallie E. Benjamin (Valerie Burns) is the author of the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. The first book, Sniffing Out Murder releases on December 5, 2023. Valerie is an Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist. Writing as V. M. Burns she is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery, Dog Club Mystery, and RJ Franklin Mystery series. Writing as Valerie Burns, she is the author of the Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles.

Author Links Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/v-m-burns Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vmburnsbooks/ GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16534140.V_M_Burns Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vmburnsbooks/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/vmburns Website: vmburns.com

Knitmare on Beech Street

 

Knitmare on Beech Street (A Knit & Nibble Mystery) by Peggy Ehrhart

About Knitmare on Beech Street

Knitmare on Beech Street (A Knit & Nibble Mystery) Cozy Mystery 10th in Series Setting - Charming fictional town of Arborville, in northern New Jersey Kensington Cozies (November 28, 2023) Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496738861 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496738868 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BZBM8P55

Knit and Nibble member Pamela Paterson, and her best friend, Bettina, stumble on a body in a once grand Victorian house when they join a group welcoming new residents to Arborville—and must figure out if old secrets killed the new neighbor . . .

When Pamela, Bettina, and their friends show up at the Voorhees House to greet its new owner, they’re met with a most unwelcome sight: a dead body on the kitchen floor. Tassie Hunt just inherited the old Victorian, which had been occupied by a reclusive widow for many years and had a reputation for being haunted. But Tassie would have been unlikely to be spooked since her career involved debunking such paranormal phenomena.

Her demise sets off a new flurry of gossip and ghostly speculation in the New Jersey town, of course—and it’s tempting to think spirits were indeed involved considering there’s zero evidence so far of foul play. A nosy neighbor reports strange lights and sounds, and a man obsessed with the Victorian era starts photographing the place from the street. But it won’t take long before Pamela and Bettina are moving in on a killer . . .

Excerpt

Pamela led the way down the steps, down the narrow concrete path, and along the sidewalk, until they reached another concrete path. From this path, steps led up to another porch, smaller and with a plainer railing, onto which the back door opened. Saying “I’ll try again,” Marlene hefted the gift basket and headed up the steps. As she pressed the doorbell, the rest of the group joined her on the porch one by one. Marlene turned away after a few minutes and much enthusiastic pressing of the doorbell. “No answer,” she murmured. “And I was sure ANGWY was clear about the date and time.” She shrugged, edged past the others, and started down the steps. Bettina, however, stepped closer to the door and tipped her head to peer at the doorframe. “I’m not sure it’s closed all the way,” she said and gave the door a tentative push. The door swung open easily. After a shrug and a glance at the other women, Bettina raised a stylishly shod foot and stepped over the threshold. “Tassie?” Her voice rang out with a cheerful lilt. “Hello? It’s the ANGWY committee.” She disappeared inside, but a moment later she was back in the doorway. Her cheer had vanished, leaving her face a wan canvas that made her careful makeup appear garish. Ignoring her heart’s sudden lurch, Pamela took a few quick steps and joined her friend in the doorway. Bettina backed up against the door, anchoring it in a fully open position, and Pamela slipped past her into the kitchen. A woman lay sprawled on the ancient linoleum, a slender blonde woman wearing a light cotton robe printed with small flowers in shades of blue and lilac . . .

What I Thought:

This is the tenth installment of the Knit and Nibbles Mystery Series. I have read the first several in this series, and I will have to say, this series gets better and better with each book. I love visiting with Pamela and Bettina in their charming own of Arborville, NJ. The two always seem to find trouble, no matter if they are trying to avoid trouble or not. In this one, Pamela and Bettina accompany the ANGWY committee to the Voorhees house to welcome the new occupant to town. But when they arrive, the new neighbor, Tassie, is found dead on the floor. Foul play is not suspected at first. But Bettina and Pamela are summoned by a neighbor of the Voorhees house who gives them a tale of strange lights and noises, and suggest the home is haunted. Pamela's new gentleman friend is hired by the boyfriend of the the deceased to help clear out the Voorhees home, Pamela and Bettina again arrive to the home to find another dead body. Of course they dig deeper into the mystery. When Pamela is baking a blueberry pie for the Knit and Nibbles group, she and Bettina realize a huge clue. Again, I will say, this series just keeps getting better. Pamela and Bettina are great protagonists and I enjoy hearing about the other members of Knit and Nibble as well. I enjoy the setting of this series as well. This town seems to be very charming. As with others in this series I have read, this one kept my attention from the beginning and I finished the book in one day. I was totally surprised by the reveal in this one, it was not what I was expecting at all, it caught me completely off guard. There were many twists and turns in this one, I thought I had it figured out, but nope. I am definitely going back and reading the others in this series I haven't gotten to yet, and I sincerely hope this series keeps going for a long time to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

 

About Peggy Ehrhart

Peggy Ehrhart is a former English professor with a doctorate in Medieval Literature. Her Maxx Maxwell mysteries, Sweet Man Is Gone(2008) and Got No Friend Anyhow (2011), were published by Five Star/Gale/Cengage and feature a blues-singer sleuth.

Peggy is currently writing the Knit & Nibble mysteries for Kensington Books. Her amateur sleuth, Pamela Paterson, is the founder and mainstay of the Arborville, New Jersey, knitting club, nicknamed Knit and Nibble. Knitmare on Beech Street is book #10 in the series. Peggy herself is an avid crafter, dating from her childhood as a member of the 4-H Club in rural Southern California.

Peggy is a longtime member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She regularly attends mystery-writing conferences and participates in conference panels. She also gives talks on mystery fiction at libraries and other venues in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

Author Links Website: www.PeggyEhrhart.com Yarn Mania Blog on my website: https://peggyehrhart.com/category/yarn-mania/ Goodreads Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/534678.Peggy_Ehrhart/blog Purchase Links - Amazon - Barnes & Noble Bookshop.org Kobo

  

Murder, Mayhem and 4 of a Kind (High Cotton Mysteries) by Duffy Brown

About Murder, Mayhem and 4 of a Kind

Murder, Mayhem and 4 of a Kind (High Cotton Mysteries) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Georgia Independently Published (September 21, 2023) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 174 pages ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8861824446 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CJK2BX4Y

When rotten-to-the-core Payton Wilder winds up dead in Savannah, Nola Cottonwood’s two aunts are suspects in the murder. Can Nola find the real killer, and how will the others help them get away with it.

About Duffy Brown

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While other girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, her license plate is Sherlok and she conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own for Berkley Prime Crime. Duffy’s national bestselling Consignment Shop Mystery series is set in Savannah and the Cycle Path Mysteries are set on Mackinac Island.

Author Links: Website – Facebook

Purchase Link - Amazon

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