Book Review and Giveaway - Murder, She Wrote: A Body in Boston by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

My Review

Jessica Fletcher travels to Boston with her friend Seth Hazlitt.  She is a guest lecturer at the Boston Public Library and he visits with an old friend in the medical field.  While they are in Boston, they meet with local friends at a familiar pub.  The bartender, Cookie, enlists Jessica's help to talk to his daughter Aileen about her ill-advised romance.  Before Jessica can have that talk, Aileen finds her boyfriend dead - and she is the prime suspect.  Jessica steps in to help solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Murder She Wrote: A Body in Boston because I love this series of books. (I love the TV series too - a comfort watch for me!).  I look forward to each new book in the series and try to keep up with them.

This was a very good mystery.  It starts at a leisurely pace, as Jessica and Seth explore Boston.  I enjoyed their trip to the Boston Tea Party Museum and the little historical facts woven into the storytelling!  Then the murder occurs and the mystery truly begins.

As always, the mystery aspect of the book is very well written, with several plausible suspects and Jessica doing smart sleuthing to solve the mystery.  The Boston locale added an interesting setting for the story.

I recommend Murder She Wrote: A Body in Boston and the whole series for fans of cozy mysteries.  This is one of my favorite series and I am sure other mystery readers will enjoy it as well!

Book Synopsis

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!

Author Bio

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 – 

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Book Review and Giveaway - Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) by Lena Gregory

My Review

Dani Delaney is happily living in Long Island, running an old fashioned malt shop, spending time with her friends Gwen and Eli and her sister Meghan, and her detective boyfriend, Jake.  She takes on a catering job for a wealthy woman who ends up dead from a peanut allergy.  Dani sets out to solve the mystery and clear her name.

I wanted to read this mystery because I love the Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries series!  I've read all the books and they are great fun.  

I love the malt shop setting and the foodie details in this series.  I also really enjoy Dani's near and dear, including her friends, her boyfriend Jake, and her large extended family.  She even has a lovable cat!

The mystery aspect of this book was well done.  Dani and her friend/employee Eli are certain they carefully checked to exclude peanuts from the dessert menu, and yet a wealthy woman in the community dies after eating a parfait at her catered dinner.  There are several strong suspects and Dani works - with the help of her friends - solve the mystery as quickly as possible.

This is a lively, fast paced read.  The dialogue adds a lot to the storytelling, and there is a funny scene at a paddleboarding yoga session.

I recommend Rocky Road to Murder - and the Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries - for other cozy mystery fans!   This is such a fun series.

Book Synopsis

From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty summer murder mystery…

Danika Delaney is thrilled that her old fashioned malt shop, the Coffee & Cream Café, has gotten a catering contract for the biggest party of the season, the Rutherford Manor Fourth of July gala. She’ll be providing desserts for the party as well as attending the exclusive event on Eastern Long Island.

However her path to the gala quickly becomes a rocky road…

Dani arrives at the event, only to find the gala’s hostess, Cressida Rutherford, dead! What’s worse, one of Dani’s signature parfaits sits next to the dead woman, with what looks like peanuts in it—a food Cressida is severely allergic to. Amid the melted ice cream mess, Dani initially blames herself, thinking she made a mistake while rushing with the desserts. However she quickly learns that what appeared to be an accident was actually foul play, and suddenly Dani has to spring into action proving that she isn’t the perpetrator. Along with her friends, Dani uncovers a string of people in Cressida’s life who might have wanted the socialite dead. Can she prove her innocence and make sure the killer gets their just desserts?

Author Bio

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Author Links

• Newsletter: http://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1.
• Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/

Purchase Links – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Kobo 

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Book Review and Giveaway - A Camping Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery by Stacy Wilder

My Review

Liz Adams agrees to go camping with her husband Brad against her better judgement.  The private investigator becomes involved in solving a crime (theft) at the campground in South Carolina and then stumbles upon a murder - which she works to solve with her husband.

I wanted to read A Camping Conundrum because I enjoyed a recent book in this series.  I love mysteries and found the camping theme appealing.

This is short (140 pages) mystery ideal to read over the course of a couple of evenings or a weekend.  It is amazing how much the author packs into this short book!  There are actually two mystery cases.  The murder of an unlikeable woman from the local town has several twists and turns all the way up through the trial and it definitely kept me guessing!

I enjoyed Liz's detecting skills, her relationship with Brad, and of course her lovable Labrador Retriever, Duke.

I recommend A Camping Conundrum for other cozy mystery fans.  I look forward to reading future books in this series.

Book Synopsis

A heart-pounding cozy mystery filled with twists, turns, and canine charm. Perfect for fans of page-turning whodunits and outdoor adventures!

Private Investigator Liz Adams isn’t thrilled when her husband, Brad, suggests a camping getaway to South Carolina’s picturesque Poinsett Park. The mention of camping brings back a haunting memory of a childhood Girl Scout trip that went terribly wrong. But for Brad, the park is a refuge—a chance to relive happy moments from his past.

The long weekend escape takes a dark turn when Brad discovers a woman’s lifeless body in the park’s peaceful lake. The victim, the landlady of a strip center in the neighboring town of Sumter, was notorious for making enemies among her tenants. With no shortage of motives but no clear suspects, Liz and her truth-sniffing Labrador, Duke, embark on a quest to identify the culprit.

As Liz races to uncover the truth and put the killer in jail, the couple experiences one camping disaster after another. Will justice be served? Or will an unexpected twist of karma change everything?

Author Bio

Stacy Wilder writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that help the homeless, both people and pets.

Beyond writing, Stacy is deeply devoted to her faith, family, and her beloved Labradors. She is also enthusiastic about the causes she supports, the beauty of art, the serenity of the beach, the adventure of travel, and the joy of reading.

She and her husband live in Houston, TX, with a totally spoiled Labrador named Eve.

Author Links

• Website storystacy.com
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wilderstacy
• Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/stacy.wilder
• Instagram https://instagram.com/authorstacywilder/
• BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/stacy-wilder
• YouTube https://youtu.be/9YYjXBUsX1Y?si=4Vz91UbbZ5D4J9_Y

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – 

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Book Review and Giveaway - A Whale of a Crime (A Yorkshire Coast Cozy Mystery) by Mona Marple

My Review

Ten years after his husband, a pop star, died under mysterious circumstances, Ryan Kennedy returns home to Flamborough in Yorkshire.  He spends time with his beloved grandmother, Iris, at her bookstore.  When there is a murder at a community gathering on the beach, Ryan and Iris set out to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries.  I enjoy British mysteries with village settings.  The dog on the cover also appealed to me!

This is a unique mystery.  It is told in alternating chapters by Ryan and by his grandmother Iris.  There are also a few chapters that read like a message board for Siren Call, the band Ryan's husband led.  I found the alternating viewpoints intriguing but it also made the book read a bit more slowly to me.

The author does a wonderful job with descriptions and I could really visualize Flamborough and the residents.  The mystery aspect of the book is compelling and there were several twists in the story that added intrigue!

I really liked Ryan and Iris and enjoyed their detecting.  Ryan works as a dog walker and I liked the dog details in the book - including his Bernese Mountain Dog, Bracken.

I recommend A Whale of a Crime for other fans of cozy mysteries and especially for readers who enjoy a British village setting.

Book Synopsis

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.

Author Bio

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

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New Book Review and Giveaway - Campfires & Corpses: A Maine Campground Cozy Mystery by Nikki Weber

My Review

Noelle Cooper unexpectedly loses her job and moves home to Maine to manage her family's old fashioned campground.  Just as she is settling in, a body is found on the beach and she finds herself a suspect ... so she works hard to solve the mystery and clear her name.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries.  The cover drew me in with the camper and the cute beagle!

This is the first book in a new series, and it was very enjoyable!  I loved the setting - an old fashioned campground, spending summer in a camper.  I liked Noelle as a character.  She's smart and resourceful, even when facing the difficult situation of being a suspect.  

I loved Corny, the rescue beagle, and (as a longtime pet rescue advocate) also loved the rescue message the author conveys in this story.

The mystery aspect of the story is well done, with fast paced storytelling.

Also: woohoo for the campground map in the book! It was fun and helpful.

I enthusiastically recommend Campfires & Corpses to other cozy mystery fans. It is a fun summer read!

Book Synopsis

When the campground becomes the scene of the crime, will Noelle’s peaceful summer go up in flames?

Down on her luck event planner Noelle Cooper is returning to rural Maine to do the one thing she swore she would never do: run her family’s campground. But it’s only for the summer, and the timing couldn’t be better–she’s lost her job and has nowhere to live. She hopes that a change of scenery will be the thing she needs to regroup and reinvent herself.

But Noelle’s plans go up in smoke on her first morning back when she stumbles upon the body of her high school rival. She barely has time to process this before she comes face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend, meets the handsome county sheriff, and is questioned by an intimidating state trooper who gives her the creeps.

While she’s busy dealing with a group of pushy campers who insist that the murder means she must cancel the annual bonfire, Noelle becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation. She’s convinced that someone is feeding false information to the police and is determined to clear her name.

With the help of her podcast-obsessed cousin, her anxious rescue beagle, and a few eccentric campers, Noelle compiles a list of other suspects and pokes around to uncover the real killer.

Can Noelle prove her innocence before getting tossed in jail? Or is she playing with fire? Read Campfires & Corpses now to find out.

*** This clean, contemporary cozy mystery is set in a small town with quirky characters and lovable dogs. Cozy mystery fans will enjoy dissecting the suspects’ alibis and following the clues along with Noelle and her gang. ***

Author Bio

Nikki Weber was born and raised in Maine, and spent her childhood summers camping with her family and their beagle. She loves to read, listen to podcasts, travel, and play tennis. Campfires & Corpses: A Maine Campground Cozy Mystery is her first book, and there are many more in the pipeline.

Author Links

Website: https://nikkiweberbooks.com/

Sign Up for Nikki’s Newsletter:  Join the Cozy Book Club! | Nikki Weber

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/nikkiweber

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nikkiweberbooks

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

Purchase Links

Universal Book Link  – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – Kobo –

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