Grave Words

Grave Words: A Deadly Deadlines Mystery

by Gerri Lewis

About Grave Words

Grave Words: A Deadly Deadlines Mystery

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Setting - Connecticut

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 10, 2025

Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

Hardcover ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892421133

Paperback  ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892422482

Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DGPF9R8P

Audiobook ASIN B0F97G3PP3

Winter Snow has had it! With her business in a death drought, her best friend Scoop implicated

in a string of arsons, and an obituary listing Winter herself as deceased, her life is heating up. But

just as she’s trying to cool things down, she receives her newest assignment: an obituary for

Chester, a homeless man found in a burning building.

Promising the local funeral home manager that she will have the obituary by the deadline, Winter

is stonewalled at every turn, failing to discover Chester’s last name, or where he came from.

When it is discovered that Chester was murdered and that the fire was set to cover it up, all

fingers immediately point to Scoop. Not only is Scoop a person of interest in the arsons, he was

also the last person to see Chester alive.

As more nails are pounded into Scoop’s coffin, Winter’s uncle Richard hopes to help by inviting

the notorious town gossips, The Nosy Parkers, to a neighborhood food fest. Unfortunately, the

breadcrumbs they toss set murder in motion.

More determined than ever, Winter must figure out the twists and turns of the case to clear

Scoop’s name, putting her on a deadly deadline to solve the murder and avoid meeting the same

grave consequences.

What I Thought:

This is the first book in the Deadly Deadlines Series that I have read. I thought a series about a professional obituary writer would be interesting, and I was not wrong. In this one, it starts out with Winter finding out her client submitted an obituary she wrote but with her name and picture in it. This progress into and arson and murder investigation in which Winter's best friend, and reporter. Scoop is the main suspect. Winter is dating a local police officer and he warns her not to get involved. Her uncle and neighbor also try to keep Winter out of trouble, but it does not always work.

I enjoyed the setting of this book and as I said, I thought the premise of a professional obituary writer was unique. I did not really know that was a career choice. The plot was well thought out and believable and the story flowed well and kept my attention from the very beginning. There were several twist that kept me guessing. I will definitely be reading more in this series. 

About Gerri Lewis

GERRI LEWIS is the author of The Last Word (2024) and Grave Words (June 10, 2025), the

first two books in her Deadly Deadlines Mystery series published by Crooked Lane Books.  Set

in her Hallmark-worthy hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut, this cozy mystery is about

obituary writer Winter Snow, who solves murders along with a cast of lovable

characters.  During her career as an award-winning reporter, columnist, and feature writer, Gerri

has become a go-to person in her community for obituaries. When she is not helping her

protagonist solve mysteries, she writes magazine features and is the Public Information Officer

for the Ridgefield Office of Emergency Management.  She lives with her husband in Ridgefield,

Connecticut, the picture-perfect setting for her books.

Murder She Wrote: A Body in Boston

 

Murder, She Wrote: A Body in Boston by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Mora

About Murder, She Wrote: A Body in Boston

Murder, She Wrote: A Body in Boston

Cozy Mystery 61st in Series Setting - Boston, Massachusetts Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (July 1, 2025) Paperback Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593820193 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593820193 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHWR568Q

Jessica Fletcher has dinner with her old pal Harry McGraw and gets pulled into a puzzling murder case.

Invited to deliver a lecture at the Boston Public Library, Jessica Fletcher excitedly makes plans to see local friends. Naturally that includes dinner at Gilhooley’s with PI Harry McGraw. Harry excitedly talks about his latest client, the CEO of Cure All Pharmaceuticals, who’s received anonymous blackmail demands and wants Harry to identify the culprit. Cookie, Gilhooley’s longtime bartender, also has something he wants to tell Jessica: he asked Harry to investigate his daughter Aileen’s boyfriend, who Cookie thinks is too slick by half, but now Harry is too wrapped up in this new case. While Jessica wonders how best to approach Aileen, the young woman stumbles into Gilhooley’s covered in blood. She just discovered her boyfriend’s corpse -- and quickly becomes the chief suspect in his murder!

What I Thought:

Well this was another entertaining installment of the Murder She Wrote Mysteries. There have been so many in this series, I think this is the 61st? In this one, Jessica and Seth travel to Boston for Jessica to speak at a lecture at the Boston Public Library, When a friends daughter's boyfriend is murdered, Jessica has to investigate to try to clear the girl of the charges. As always, Jessica Fletcher is a great protagonist. She is cleaver and completely timeless. This plot was well thought out and believable. There was a couple mystery aspects in this book that ended up being connected together. While the setting was not Cabot Cove, it was still charming and Ms. Farley did a good job describing the setting. I was left guessing till the reveal of the killer, it was interesting how Ms. Fletcher figured out who the killer was. A Murder She Wrote book is always an entertaining book and this one was no exception. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book.   

About the Authors

Terrie Farley Moran is the bestselling author of the Read 'Em and Eat cozy mystery series, including the Agatha Award-winning Well Read, Then Dead. Along with Jessica Fletcher, she co-writes the Murder She Wrote mystery series. She also co-writes the Scrapbooking Mysteries with Laura Childs. Terrie's short mystery fiction has been published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Mystery Weekly, and numerous anthologies. "A Killing at the Beausoleil" was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Short Story. "Inquiry and Assistance" received the Derringer Award for Best Novelette.

Author Links – Webpage, Facebook Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – PenguinRandomHouse –

A Whale of a Crime

 

A Whale of a Crime (A Yorkshire Coast Cozy Mystery) by Mona Marple

About A Whale of a Crime

A Whale of a Crime (A Yorkshire Coast Cozy Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE COAST, ENGLAND Independently Published (April 30, 2025) Print length ‏ : ‎ 254 pages Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DTZ3KGWP

After ten years away, Ryan Kennedy never planned on returning to Flamborough—the tiny Yorkshire village he once called home. But when his fiercely independent gran, Iris, needs him, he finds himself back behind the counter at her chaotic seaside bookshop, wrestling with jammed tills, nosy villagers, and the memories he’s spent years trying to forget.

What Ryan doesn’t expect is to be swept straight into the heart of a murder investigation.

When a mysterious boat appears on the beach and a body turns up at the exclusive Whale Watch Weekend picnic, all eyes turn to the cliffs—and to the secrets the village has been keeping. As Ryan and Iris dig into the tangled history of the victim, long-buried truths begin to surface, not just about the case... but about the night Ryan’s own husband died.

With the tide cutting them off, a killer on the loose, and a very observant dog named Bracken by their side, Ryan and Iris must work fast—because in Flamborough, the past doesn’t stay buried, and the sea has a habit of washing everything to shore.

For fans of twisty village whodunits, seaside charm, and heartfelt mysteries with a slow-burning emotional pull, A Whale of a Crime is the unforgettable first instalment in a brand-new series.

Excerpt “He hadn't expected it to feel like this—like being punched in the gut and wrapped in a warm blanket all at once.” “Welcome home, little brother.” “Because I very much doubt Vic decided to bash his own head in with a decorative whale.” “You could dress a Flamborough lad in all the fancy clothes you liked, but the salt air would always find a way in.” “They were trapped until morning. Six suspects, one murder weapon, and Iris’ grandson caught in the middle of it all.”

What  I Thought:

This is the first installment in a new series by Mona Marple. I have read some of her other books before and really enjoyed them. In this one Ryan has went back home to Flamborough ten years after the death of his husband, Jason. It is The Whale Watch Weekend Festival and when a dead body is found on the beach at the picnic the night prior to the festival, it brings up bad memories for Ryan. He and his grandmother, Iris, team up to solve the crime. In the process there is another murder and there is evidence it is linked to the death of Ryan's husband. I enjoyed the setting of this book which is the Yorkshire coast. The village of Flamborough seems charming and quaint.. Ryan and his grandmother Iris are both very likable characters. The supporting character were all well developed as well. I did get a little confuse at times about everything that was going on in this book. This will have to be read as a series in order for it to make sense as the ending leads up to the beginning of the next in this series. There were many suspects in this book and some twists that kept me guessing. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 
 

About Mona Marple

Mona Marple writes charming cozy mysteries filled with quirky characters, twisty whodunits, and settings you’ll wish you could visit—especially if you love a bit of seasonal sparkle. Best known for her beloved Candy Cane Hollow series, Mona creates worlds where murder meets mistletoe and sleuthing pairs perfectly with a cup of tea. When she’s not writing, Mona can be found walking her Labradoodle, Coco, plotting her next murder (on the page, of course), or hosting reader parties in her cozy online community.

Author Links WEBSITE: WWW.MONAMARPLE.COM FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MONAMARPLEAUTHOR FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332562544209625 INSTAGRAM: WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/MONAMARPLE Purchase Link - Amazon

A Witch Awakens Spotlight

 

A Witch Awakens: A Fire Circle Mystery by Ellis Elliott

About A Witch Awakens

A Witch Awakens: A Fire Circle Mystery Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - In the Tennessee mountains Publisher: Hawkshaw Press (May 19, 2025) Number of Pages: 238 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F5LDHNY1

A Witch Awakens is about an accidental detective CeCe (Tennessee) Brown, who returns home to Tennessee after deciding the Big Apple just didn't suit her. While working as the local ballet teacher she helps her friend Bess to put on the annual Fall Ball. Unfortunately, during a thunderstorm the night of the ball, one of the town's most notable women is found dead. CeCe was very close to the victim, and begins to have little dizzy spells where she starts to get pictures of things around her town, and feelings compelling her to visit certain locations. Under the guidance of her grandmother and her Aunt Granny, CeCe begins to realize she shares a family proclivity for a bit of second sight. It's a story where CeCe solves a mystery, but also begins to accept who she is, and where she's from, and what makes her little town, and herself, special. She solves the mystery of herself.

About Ellis Elliot

ELLIS ELLIOTT is a facilitator of the online writing group Bewilderness Writing. She also teaches writing and ballet in an after-school arts education program. Ellis holds an MFA from Queens University. She is a contributing writer for the Southern Review of Books, and serves as an editor/workshop instructor for The Dewdrop contemplative journal.

She is the author of the 2023 poetry chapbook, Break in the Field (Old Scratch Press), which KIRKUS calls “A deeply felt collection of candid verse.” Her work can also be found in numerous publications, including Signal Mountain Review, Plainsongs Poetry Magazine/Award Poem, Euphony Journal, and the Women of Appalachia Project Anthology. Ellis has a blended family consisting of six grown sons. She resides in West Palm Beach, Florida, with her husband, Tim, and a feisty dog named Mabel. Author Links

• Website: https://bewildernesswriting.squarespace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewildernesswriting
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliselliott2020
• LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/ellis-gatewood-elliott-30ab4059

Purchase Links - AMAZON - a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis

About The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg (A Domestic Diva Mystery) Cozy Mystery 18th in Series Setting - Virginia Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies (May 27, 2025) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496743458 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496743459 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DFRXP333

Northern Virginia’s own Martha Stewart returns in a brand-new mystery as an interior designer clashes with a killer . . .

Stylish brunches are all the rage this autumn in Old Town Alexandria, and everyone’s posting their parties on social media. But while Domestic Diva Sophie Winston juggles her event-filled calendar, she’s approached by local designer Mitzi Lawson—who is afraid someone is following her. The very next day Mitzi loses her best friend and business partner, Denise. The two were renovating a generations-old house where Denise died unexpectedly, and Mitzi fears that it wasn’t a medical condition to blame, but murder.

It could just be the shock talking, but Sophie agrees to help Mitzi involve the police. Then she receives a panicked phone call from Mitzi, and when she rushes to the old house, Mitzi is nowhere to be found. Now Sophie’s appetite for investigation is piqued even more than her appetite for eggs Benedict and mimosas.

Could Denise’s death be connected to her viper’s nest of in-laws or the house she was working on which her husband just inherited? What of the self-proclaimed etiquette expert with some improper secrets, or the scheming mistress? Or does the old house harbor secrets of its own? There’s a generous buffet of suspects to keep the Diva scrambling for an answer . . .

Includes delicious recipes and fabulous DIY decorating tips!

What I Thought:

Well, Krista Davis has done it again in this series. This is the 18th installment in this series and this series maintains being one of the best series out there. In this one, Sophie goes to the Inger House to meet her friend Mitzi and instead finds a dead body. Sophie and her group of friends, Nina, Mars and Bernie investigate to find the killer. During their investigations they uncover a few more mysteries. I really enjoyed this installment of this series. It kept my attention from the very beginning until the end of the book. I enjoyed visiting Old Town Alexandria and Sophie and her group of friends, and of course her fur babies. Sophie is a very strong protagonist and always keeps a level head. Krista Davis is an excellent author and this series just gets better and better. I will have to say I did not figure this mystery out until the very end. I have not read all in this series yet, but I am making a dent in them because this is one of my favorites series of cozy mysteries. I very much look forward to more in this series. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Krista Davis

New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries, the Paws & Claws Mysteries, and The Pen & Ink Mysteries. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with a black Labrador mix, an English cream golden retriever, and two very inquisitive cats, all rescues. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back for more.

Author Links Website www.KristaDavis.com Instagram www.instagram.com/kristadavisauthor Facebook www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1555579.Krista_Davis Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/KristaDavisAuthor/ BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-davis X xhttps://x.com/kristadavis Delicious Mysteries https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573601592919093 Purchase Links Apple Amazon BAM B&N Bookshop.org Hudson Booksellers Indigo Powell’s Rakuten Kobo Tantor Target Walmart

Snowy with a Chance of Murder

 

Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder by Jessica Fletcher & Barbara Early

About Snowy with a Chance of Murder

Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder 

Cozy Mystery 60th in Series Setting - Maine Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (March 18, 2025) Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593820045 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593820049 Digital ASIN ‏  

In a nod to Rear Window, this newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series finds Jessica Fletcher coping with an injury that leaves her homebound—and a murder just outside her window! Jessica Fletcher has taken a nasty spill on the ice, leaving her in a wheelchair for several weeks. She tries to work on her latest manuscript but finds herself distracted by a new neighbor moving in across the street. There’s good reason for her to be distracted, because soon after unpacking his sparse belongings, Mr. Rymer is out in the front yard, building somewhat risqué (read: naked) snow sculptures. While Cabot Cove debates whether the sculptures are a protected form of art or a public display of lewdness, someone starts destroying them at night. Rymer doesn’t seem upset. He just makes new ones. No need to get the police involved over a little snow, he says. Especially when there’s plenty more of it and a blizzard in the forecast. The morning after the storm, Jessica looks out the window to see a new sculpture across the street—and the body of Mr. Rymer half-buried in the snow. Can Jessica catch a cold-blooded killer from her chair by the window?

What I Thought:

This was the first Murder She Wrote Mystery I have read in many years. My husband is not a reader, but he does read books in this series. This on in set in Cabot Cove in February and Jessica is getting ready to go on a cruise when she slips and falls on her icy steps and sprains both ankles. She is laid up at home and she has nothing else to do but watch her neighbors out the window. When a renter moves in next door, he gives Jessa  lot to watch as he makes snow sculptures and some are pretty racy. When he is found murdered after a large snow storm, Jess has to investigate, even though she is in a wheelchair. I enjoyed this story, it kept my attention from the very beginning. Of course Jessica Fletcher is a great protagonist. She will always be timeless. I liked how the story played out and how Jess never suspected the outcome of the mystery till the end of the story. I, on the other hand, had some suspicions but did not have the crimes figured out or why they were committed. The writing in this one was good and the story flowed well. I will definitely tell my husband he needs to read this one, since these are the only books he reads. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  

About the Authors

Barbara Early earned an engineering degree, but after four years of doing nothing but math, developed a sudden allergy to the subject and decided to choose another occupation.

Before she settled on murdering fictional people, she was a secretary, a schoolteacher, a pastor’s wife, and an amateur puppeteer. She lives in Western New York State (Go Bills!), where she enjoys cooking, crafts, classic movies and campy seventies television, board games, and spending time with her granddaughters.

​Before teaming up with Jessica Fletcher, she previously wrote the Vintage Toyshop Mystery series and the Bridal Bouquet Shop Mysteries (as Beverly Allen).

Author Links

Website https://www.barbaraearly.com/

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

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org - Penguin Random House

Essence of Foul Play

 

Essence of Foul Play (An Aroma Wellness Mystery)
by Daryl Wood Gerber

About Essence of Foul Play 

 

Essence of Foul Play (An Aroma Wellness Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies (March 25, 2025)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496751507
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496751508
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DB3SGV1Q

Emma Brennan may have her head in a cloud of eucalyptus, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground in breathtaking Carmel, California, as she prepares to open her new spa business, Aroma Wellness. But all the reiki, shiatsu, and massage in the world can’t help her relax when she’s accused of murder . . . Everything is going smoothly as Emma prepares for the grand opening of the spa. The therapy rooms are painted. The sales shop and café are stocked with meditative and delicious goodies, from essential oils to avocado masks and prickly pear massages. The fountain in the Courtyard of Peace is burbling with good vibrations. In fact, there isn’t a whiff of trouble until that morning when Emma is shocked to learn that a rival spa owner has been bludgeoned . . . with an item from the goodwill basket Emma gave her. Worse, a witness is pointing the finger at Emma . . . With the police treating Emma like she’s the only suspect, and the town’s anti New Age anything posse badmouthing her every step of the way, she’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Incensed by the accusations but empowered by her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma reviews the potpourri of possible suspects, determined to uncover the essence of foul play—before she’s cold-pressed for murder . . . 

What I Thought:

I love the the Fairy Garden Mystery series and when I saw that this series was set in the same town with some of the same characters, I knew I had to read this. In this one, Emma is getting ready to open a new spa in Carmel by the Sea. She has some opposition from some towns people, one being her friend, Willow, who is also a spa owner in Carmel. When Willow is found murdered, Emma has to help solve the crime to try to keep her spa going and to also clear her name. I love the setting of this book and even though this is a different series, I loved that there was still the mention of fairies in this one. I felt that Emma was a strong protagonist and the plot line was believable. This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept it throughout the book. This was a fast read that did not take me long to finish. There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. I did not have the mystery figured out to the end of the book. I definitely look forward to more in this series. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Daryl Wood Gerber

Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, the Fairy Garden Mysteries and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well-received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams suspense novels. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays.  Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website:  httsp://darylwoodgerber.com

Author Links

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@daryl_wood_gerber

AMAZON: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/

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