Tag: #cozy

Book Review: The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

I absolutely LOVED this new historical cozy mystery!

THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN (Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery Book 1) by Allison Montclair ticked off all of my favorite things in a historical cozy mystery. The time and place is the immediate years post WWII in London. The characters are appropriate to the time, realistic, extremely entertaining and smart. The plot is full of interesting twists and red herrings.

Two very different women meet at the wedding of a mutual friend and form an instant friendship. With their individual talents, they decide to start a business venture called The Right Sort of Marriage Bureau. Iris Sparks is quick witted, impulsive and secretive in regards to her time during the war. Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge is a war widow with a young son, Ronnie who is now destined to become the next Lord Bainbridge. While very different on the surface, both women fit well together with their individual strengths and abilities.

As their fledgling business is starting to take off, one of their newest clients, Tillie LaSalle is found murdered and Scotland Yard arrests the prospective husband Iris and Gwen paired her with. The detectives believe they have their man, but Gwen refuses to believe in Mr. Trower’s guilt. To clear his name and rescue their business, Iris and Gwen decide to investigate on their own using the skills and contacts each has acquired during the recent war.

As the pair investigate the murder, they find themselves surrounded by individuals involved in all forms of illegal post-war activities. Will Iris and Gwen be able to save Mr. Trower and their new business without becoming victims themselves?

I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved these characters. As the mystery plot keeps you turning the pages, so does each revelation in regards to Iris and Gwen’s pasts. The main characters, the secondary characters and the mystery plot make this a perfect historical cozy mystery read. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thanks very much to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this eARC. It was definitely my pleasure!

Book Review: Murder Unexpected by Anita Waller

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MURDER UNEXPECTED (Kat and Mouse Mysteries #2) by Anita Waller is the second contemporary cozy mystery in this intriguing and entertaining trilogy. Each book has a unique mystery to be solved, but these books are best read in order due to the continuation of the main characters’ interactions and development.

This story picks up just a few months after the end of the first book, which has Kat, Mouse and Doris all waiting anxiously for the birth of Kat’s baby while being wary as Kat’s husband is still a fugitive. The three are being careful and vigilant as they work to grow their detective agency, Connection in the village of Eyam.

When a widow gives the ladies a case to identify the birth mother of her deceased husband something just does not feel right. Judith is not telling the whole truth. While others knew of her husband’s wish to find his birth mother before his cancer diagnosis, no one believes Judith is doing this out of love. When the ladies go to return her retainer and get out of the case, they find Judith murdered.

This murder leads to many twists and turns, with the ladies sharing information with DI Tessa Marsden and Hannah once again.

This second book in the trilogy was even more intense and emotionally riveting than the first. Kat’s continued personal upheaval with her husband, Leon ended with a surprise that was realistic, but I did not expect the author to go there. The murder mystery plot in this book also was not what I was expecting. It had so many twists and turns that drained me emotionally and yet were completely satisfying by its resolution. Ms. Waller has some very clever ideas when it comes to murder.

I love Kat, Mouse (Beth) and Doris. These are strong female characters you feel you want to meet in real life. DI Marsden and Hannah are also intelligent law enforcement characters. Wonderful writing brings these characters to life and the resolutions are clever and thought provoking.

I can highly recommend this book and am anxiously awaiting book #3 of the trilogy!

Thanks very much to Bloodhound Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC.

Book Review: Murder Undeniable by Anita Waller

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MURDER UNDENIABLE (Kat and Mouse Mysteries #1) by Anita Waller is the first book in a contemporary cozy mystery trilogy. This author has written three main characters that are as intelligent and realistic as they are entertaining. The start was a little slow, but it was setting up a crime in the past witnessed by a group of friends which ties into the current murders. The suspense and mystery builds after this scene though at a rapid pace.

Katerina Rowe is a Deacon at her church in the village of Eyam. She is happily married and very satisfied with her life. They have just celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary.

As Kat and Leon are exciting into the alley behind his pharmacy, they discover a man shot to death and a woman barely hanging on to life after being shot in the shoulder and kicked in the head. The woman, Beth, called Mouse, by her family was the dead man’s escort for the night. Kat does not understand why, but she is drawn to Mouse and wants to protect her.

At the hospital Kat meets Beth’s nan, Doris and the three woman form a bond. When Beth’s flat is burned down, Kat takes her and her nan in as the peril escalates and more people are murdered. These three will use their skills to dig into the murders and hopefully find the killer before he succeeds in killing Beth.

I love Kat, Beth and Doris. They are unique characters that each have their own talents to bring to the group. I am very glad I will get to revisit them. The setting of the “plague village” of Eyam was interesting to learn about and is perfect for a cozy setting. I was glad that Ms. Waller made the police investigators as intelligent as the cozy sleuths. They were not stupid or inept caricatures. The ending was only a partial surprise, but it was very satisfying.

I am looking forward to reading the remainder of this Kat and Mouse trilogy.

Book Review: In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon

RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars

IN PEPPERMINT PERIL (Book Tea Shop Mystery #1) by Joy Avon is the start of a new cozy mystery series. A murder, a missing heirloom ring and greed over a new will to be announced by the dame of Haywood Hall all threaten the holiday spirit in Heart’s Harbor.

Callie Aspen has returned to Heart’s Harbor for the holidays to help her great aunt, Iphy run Book Tea, a vintage tea and pastry shop where every pastry is based on a mystery story or includes a mysterious clue to be solved. Callie travels the world as a tour guide, but has fond childhood memories of Haywood Hall and its occupants so she is excited to be helping her great aunt prepare for a special party at the hall. Instead of a surprise engagement and the announcement of the will’s new terms, a dead body is found in the conservatory.

Callie and Iphy use their love of mystery books to follow all the clues, but a certain deputy finds Callie’s interest intrusive. Callie persists because of her love for all involved and even Deputy Falk comes around to aid her in a mutual quest for the killer. Can Callie help the residents of Heart’s Harbor find a killer and help to reveal their secrets and true desires to celebrate a joyous Christmas?

This book was a fast and easy read that kept me guessing the identity of the killer. Callie, as the main character had to deal with her own emotional baggage on returning to the hall besides the murder mystery which gave her character depth. All of the secondary characters were interesting and entertaining including Callie’s foster Boston terrier. There are many twists and red herrings in the mystery plot. Overall, an enjoyable and entertaining cozy holiday mystery read.

Thanks very much to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Butterfly Conspiracy by Vivian Conroy

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE BUTTERFLY CONSPIRACY (A Merriweather and Royston Mystery #1) by Vivian Conroy is an entertaining historical cozy mystery that pulled me in from the start. I love mysteries set in Victorian times, with all the new discoveries and inventions and the societal conventions that are still in place, but on the verge of change. This is a great start to a new historical cozy mystery series that is both fast paced and easy to read.

Miss Merula Merriweather would much rather be in her conservatory hatching exotic butterflies and studying all things zoological than worrying about the latest fashions and balls. Left as a toddler to be raised by her mother’s sister and husband, Merula has been encouraged in her interests by her uncle. Because of the times in which they live, her uncle Rupert must take credit for her discoveries and accomplishments.

When she releases her latest hatchling at a meeting of the Zoological Society to prove it is real, it lands on Lady Sophia’s arm and she immediately falls over dead. Uncle Rupert, who everyone believes is the true butterfly expert, is immediately accused of her murder and arrested. Merula believes that her butterfly had nothing to do with Lady Sophia’s death, but how to prove it?

Lord Raven Royston feels responsible for the arrest of Merula’s uncle and believes the authorities will come after her when they find out she is the true butterfly expert. It was because of his belief the butterfly was fake that Merula released it at the meeting. Lord Raven helps Merula to escape the police and they both start to try to piece together the real cause and reason for Lady Sophia’s death.

I love Merula and Raven! The author has brought the main characters to life in description and dialogue. Each has a partial backstory revealed during the book that added depth and I am sure will lead to future adventures. Throughout the book their friendship grows and I hope it will turn into more in future books. The secondary characters of Galileo, Bowsprit and Lamb add to the realism of this time period and its class system. This is a great cast of characters that I am looking forward to following into future mysteries. The plot was full of red herrings and I felt the execution of the murder was ingenious. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

BETTER DEAD (A B&B Spirits Mystery #1) by Pamela Kopfler is the first book in a new cozy mystery series set in a Louisiana B&B. The spirit in this book adds a touch of the paranormal and I can only assume that since this series is called a B&B Spirits Mystery there will be others in future books.

Holly Davis owns Holly Grove plantation turned B&B. It has been in her family for several generations and she especially needs to make it a success and profitable now that her cheating husband is dead. Killed in a plane wreck before Holly could divorce him, Burl nearly bankrupt the B&B and was involved with drug smuggling on the property.

As Holly drinks to celebrate her untimely freedom, Burl shows up as a spirit with unfinished business. Burl needs Holly’s help to move on. Holly needs Burl’s help to make Holly Grove a truly haunted plantation that will draw in guests to pay the bills.

Jake McCann, Holly’s former high school sweetheart, returns to town to help with the town’s paper while the owner is on vacation. He works out an agreement with Holly to stay at the B&B, but is that the only reason he has returned?

This was a fast read and had some laugh out loud scenes especially when you read about Gold Member and some of Holly’s disasters. The interaction between Holly, her ex’s spirit and Jake was also well written.

I was disappointed that Holly made so many bad decisions that placed her in jeopardy. One or two is fine, but I prefer a smarter heroine. I am not sure if it was done for screwball comedy sake, but it was just too many times. For me, Holly’s long-time housekeeper and cook was more of a caricature than I was comfortable with. I also would have preferred Jake to become more romantically involved further into future books. It felt rushed at the end of this book.

Overall, this is an entertaining cozy, but not sure if I will continue with the series.