Book Review and Giveaway - A Murder and Maggie MacGill by Rebecca Lee Smith

My Review

Maggie MacGill lives in a small town in Tennessee, painting seascapes and teaching elementary art.  When an unlikable older woman in town dies mysteriously, leaving Maggie her fortune, her life changes.  She finds herself - and her family - in danger, and so she works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read A Murder and Maggie MacGill because the Tennessee setting and art teacher protagonist appealed to me.  This is my first read by Rebecca Lee Smith and it is a standalone mystery.

This mystery was an absolute delight!  It is a cozy mystery with elements of women's fiction and a fresh, sassy voice.  It was a very fast read for me because I read in all my free time over a couple of days ... I wanted to see what happened next!  A sample of the authorial voice:

"Dust motes floated in the air like glitter. The whole thing felt surreal and romantic, like a scene from a Hallmark movie without the fake snow and the gay leading man."  (eBook location 67)

I really like Maggie.  She is creative, loyal to her family (dad Les and brother Jesse), and she cares about the kids she teaches.  She meets her high school antagonist, Eli, by surprise early on and sparks unexpectedly fly.  She wonders, though, if she can trust him and be vulnerable with him.  Their friendship/possible romance is a big part of the story.

The mystery aspect of this book was well done.  There were a number of strong suspects.  I figured the answer and enjoyed Maggie solving the mystery as well.

The only thing I didn't like about A Murder and Maggie MacGill is that it isn't the start of a series!  I would love to read more featuring these characters.  I enthusiastically recommend this book for other cozy mystery fans.

Book Synopsis

When elementary art teacher Maggie MacGill finds the richest, most despised woman in town dead, then inherits her estate, life in the sweet mountain town of Wrenhaven, Tennessee, takes a greased ride downhill.

No one knows why Mrs. Grayson left her fortune to Maggie, but once her death begins to look like murder, and a series of unexplained pranks directed at the MacGill family turn nasty, Maggie must untangle a web of secrets and discover who has it in for her before it’s too late. Even if it means accepting help from the victim’s grandson, a man she’s loathed since high school but whose devastating grin and quick wit can still make her heart race.

Author Bio

Rebecca lives with her husband and a dog named Wilbur in the beautiful, misty mountains of East Tennessee, where the people are charming, soulful, and just a little bit crazy. She’s been everything from a tax collector to a stay-at-home-mom to a professional actor and director. She loves to travel the world but her Southern roots and the affectionate appreciation she has for the rural towns she lives near inspire the settings and characters she writes about.

Author Links

Website http://www.rebeccaleesmith.com

Facebook: (Rebecca Lee Smith): http://bit.ly/4lykxcF

Twitter/X: (Rebecca Lee Smith): https://x.com/rbeccaleesmith

Bluesky: http://bit.ly/467y7ih

Author Central on Amazon:  https://bit.ly/4lapGr3

Purchase Links –   Amazon​      Barnes & Noble      Kobo

Giveaway 

Book Review and Giveaway - Without a Shadow of Doubt: An Olivia Penn Mystery by Kathleen Bailey

My Review

During the Highland Games in the small town of Apple Station, Virginia, Olivia Penn gets involved with solving another murder.  An older neighbor dies, Olivia receives a strange text message from a friend, and there is a missing cat ... and some Scottish family history.

I wanted to read Without a Shadow of a Doubt because I have enjoyed earlier books in the Olivia Penn mystery series.  

This was another great mystery with Olivia.  There is so much I enjoy about this series:  Olivia's sweet relationship with her father, the pets (beagle Buddy and cat Willow), her romance with police officer Preston.

There are a number of suspects in this mystery and it made the sleuthing especially interesting!  I enjoyed following along with Olivia as she worked diligently to solve the mystery.  

I really enjoy the Olivia Penn series and look forward to the next book already!  I recommend Without a Shadow of a Doubt for other cozy mystery fans.

Book Synopsis

Find the cat. Crack the case.

The Highland Games have arrived just outside Apple Station, Virginia, bringing bagpipes, kilts, and a tide of tartan-clad tourists to the cozy small town. Advice columnist Olivia Penn is ready for a weekend of fun now that her life has finally settled into a quiet, steady rhythm. But when a local turns up dead in one of the town’s most iconic homes, a cryptic message from a friend draws her into a tangled mystery.

As Olivia investigates, family secrets and surprising motives surface, linking three brooches, an antique cross, and a 17th-century Scottish Bible. Clues connect seven suspects to the crime, and each has something to hide. When her friend can’t be found and the police start asking questions, the mystery hits closer to home and runs deeper than she ever imagined.

After an unlikely witness makes a shocking revelation, Olivia enlists her friends and a heroic search and rescue golden retriever to help her follow the trail before it goes cold. The man she loves is caught in the crosshairs, and to protect him, she’ll have to risk everything. Justice hinges on a missing cat, a chase through the woods, and a stare-down with a mama bear.

Without a Shadow of Doubt is the gripping fifth installment in the award-winning Olivia Penn Mystery Series. This fast-paced, heartwarming cozy mystery features charming characters, small-town intrigue, and a heroine you’ll love to root for. Perfect for fans of amateur sleuths, cozy suspense, and clean, feel-good mysteries with lovable cats and dogs.

Author Bio

Kathleen Bailey is the award-winning author of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. For over twenty years, she worked as a pediatric physical therapist with children who have special needs, drawing on degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She now writes in Virginia with her feline assistant, who insists on supervising every draft. When she’s not writing, Kathleen can usually be found covered in cat hair, surrounded by far too many sticky notes, and plotting new twists to keep readers guessing. She is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Author Links

Website: https://kathleenbaileyauthor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozycrimewriter/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-bailey

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

Purchase Links:

Amazon   All Retailers

Giveaway

Book Review and Giveaway - Deck the Halls With Homicide: Killer Chocolate Mysteries by Christina Romeril

My Review

Alex co-owns the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop with her sister Hanna.  She agrees to judge the annual Deck the Halls holiday decorating contest in her little town.  When a meddlesome and unpleasant neighbor turns up dead, Alex's boyfriend is a suspect.  Alex works as an amateur detective to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this book because the Christmas setting and book/chocolate shop locale were very appealing.

This is my first book in the Killer Chocolate Mysteries series.  I was able to jump in comfortably and enjoy this book as a standalone read (although I now want to read the rest of the series!).

As anticipated, I loved the holiday setting.  I also enjoyed the picturesque little town and the mystery bookstore/chocolate shop.  (Their specialty is Killer Chocolates, all with deadly names!)

I like Alex as a protagonist.  She is bright and resourceful with her detecting.  I enjoyed sleuthing right along with her!

I recommend Deck the Halls with Homicide for other cozy mystery fans, and especially for anyone who enjoys holiday theme mysteries.  This is a fun one!

Book Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Frost and Vicki Delany, when a holiday decorating contest turns deadly, twin sisters Alex and Hanna trade tinsel and twinkle lights for tracking the twists and turns of a cunning killer.

Alex and Hanna, owners of Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are hoping for a quiet holiday. That is, after Alex is finished judging the Deck the Halls contest organized by Vanessa, nicknamed “The Dragon.” The whole experience has turned Alex’s usual festive spirit a little grinchy. Instead of inspiring holiday cheer with fun lawn displays, the contest has turned cutthroat and decorations have started disappearing. After Alex’s beau, Tom, is seen in a heated argument with the Dragon about his stolen trimmings, Alex finds him dressed as Santa, kneeling over Vanessa’s dead body…with one of his missing candy cane decorations buried in her chest. It’s no surprise he becomes the sheriff’s top suspect.

Alex and Hanna quickly amass a cast of suspects deeper than Santa’s reindeer roster, including an old family friend tasked by their mother with romantic interference; a nosy reporter eager to reveal Alex’s previous murder-y exploits; and the victim’s psychologist-to-the-stars husband with a spicy secret. But as they try to catch a crafty killer, Alex also grapples with the escalating wrath of Tom’s daughter, and a mysterious psychic dropping cryptic clues, while Hanna deals with her own Christmas crisis.

Murder puts a bitter spin on the twins’ sweet confections and they must find the killer and wrap up the case to keep Santa off the naughty list.

Author Bio

Christina Romeril grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked a love of mysteries. She has lived on both coasts of Canada as a former member of the Canadian military. As an Alberta transplant, she is fascinated by mountains and loves to spend time with her husband and two Chihuahuas, Nacho and Paco, exploring Waterton National Park in the Canadian Rockies.

Author Links

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

Website https://christinaromeril.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/christinaromerilwriter

Purchase Links – Amazon   Bookshop.org    B&N    Kobo    Apple Books

Giveaway

Book Review - 100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Rides by Everett Potter

My Review

100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Rides details 100 amazing train rides, with many photos illustrating the trips.

I wanted to read this book because I have a lifelong fascination with trains and railway travel.

I always love National Geographic books because they are so beautifully done, with wonderful photos throughout.  This book is certainly no exception!

The book is divided into six parts:

Europe

Africa & The Middle East

North America

South America

Asia

Oceania

I was particularly taken with the European and North American railway adventures.  The Venice-Simplon-Orient Express is a train journey I have always dreamed of!  I loved the pictures in this section, including the historic cabins that convert from comfortable daytime seating to beds at night.  Traveling on this train would certainly fulfill my Agatha Christie imaginings!   I would want to reread Murder on the Orient Express and rewatch the different film adaptations before traveling.

Several North American trips are intriguing to me.  The California Zephyr is a train trip I would enjoy.  It travels from Chicago to San Francisco -- two cities I would enjoy visiting, as well as enjoying the train travel.

The Crescent is another train journey I have always been curious about.  It travels from Manhattan to New Orleans - both cities that I enjoy and find fun to explore!  It is a 30 hour trip.  

Another train trip that includes New Orleans is the City of New Orleans (inspiration for the Steve Goodman song).  It travels from Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.  This train trip has swivel seats so you can watch the landscape through big windows.

100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Rides is a lovely, big coffeetable book.  It would be a wonderful gift for a railroad enthusiast ... or a fun book for any armchair traveler.  Highly recommended!

Book Synopsis

Climb aboard the world’s 100 greatest railway adventures with this beautifully curated travel guide from National Geographic.

Filled with unforgettable journeys, including a weeklong excursion through Italy’s wine country and a four-hour sojourn in the Swiss countryside, this illustrated collection will add to your train trip bucket list.

Experience 100 of the most sought-after train rides around the world, from a luxurious trip through the Rocky Mountains to bullet trains that whizz you across Japan.  

This is the ultimate collection for railfans, featuring centuries-old railways, modern and speedy engineering marvels, and trips that take you through bustling cities like Chicago or ancient wonders like Machu Picchu.

Along with where and when to go, 100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime includes inside info on passenger cars (like the best cabins to book or the tastiest meals en route), sidebars on historic stations and jet-setting train trips, and top excursions to take while off the rails.
Throughout, National Geographic highlights the top 100 lines that offer a window to the beauty of our world, including:

• Italy’s Espresso Cadore, a retro sleeper train that whisks you from the ruins of Rome to the ski resort of Cortina in the Dolomites.  
• Norway’s Nordlandsbanen railway, the only train line in the country that takes you to the Arctic Circle for a chance to spot the Northern Lights.  
• South Africa’s Blue Train, which travels 950 miles between Johannesburg and Cape Town.  
• The Ethan Allen Express, a revived route from Manhattan to Burlington, Vermont, along the shores of Lake Champlain. 
• Belmond’s Royal Scotsman, an intimate 40-passenger train (including a spa carriage) that takes you through the heart of the Scottish Highlands.
• The Grand Canyon Railway, with views of the national park you won’t find anywhere else. 
• The Hiram Bingham Orient-Express, a four-hour ride in a 1920s-style locomotive from Cusco through the Sacred Valley to the Inca Citadel. 
• India’s Palace on Wheels, a week-long sojourn from New Delhi to Jodhpur, Udaipur to Agra.

And so much more!

Book Review and Giveaway - Murder by the Millions (A Literary Dining Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber

My Review

Allie Catt  works as a caterer and part-time bookstore employee in Bramblewood, North Carolina, just outside Asheville.  She combines her two loves by catering book theme events.   She is working on a big party with a Great Gatsby theme.  The event host, Jason Gardner, even has a Gatsby-ish life.  When he ends up dead, Allie works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Murder by the Millions because I like Daryl Wood Gerber's cozy mysteries and absolutely loved the first book in this series.

This mystery was a delightful read too!  The Great Gatsby is my favorite classic novel, and I loved the party theme, the Gatsby allusions, and the little Gatsby quotes at the start of each chapter.  I love the book and catering/food tidbits that intersect in this mystery.  The food history information was  especially interesting.

The mystery aspect of this book is well done, with several suspects and an enjoyable detecting process to follow.

I like Allie Catt, her friends and neighbors.  I appreciate the Cast of Characters pages - very helpful!

I recommend Murder By the Millions for other cozy mystery fans.  You will enjoy this series!

Book Synopsis

In a beautiful mountain community near Asheville, North Carolina, caterer and personal chef Allie Catt serves up mouthwatering, literary-themed dinner parties inspired by her clients’ favorite  books. Her next event is sure to be a roaring success—if a murderer isn’t a killjoy . . .

If it were true that the best thing a girl can be in this world is a fool, then Allie Catt would be out of luck. Fortunately, Allie’s business is a smashing success. And following her Pride and Prejudice event, grander plans await . . .

Feast for the Eyes bookstore manager and Allie’s best friend, Tegan, is hosting a book club soiree and wants it to be a glittering affair based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic Jazz Age-set novel, The Great Gatsby. Soon, Art Deco table settings and visions of flappers are dancing the Charleston in their heads. Even Tegan’s prickly sister, Vanna, is on board. And surely, Allie’s tuxedo cat, Darcy, thinks it’s the cat’s meow.
Amid the planning, charismatic developer Jason Gardner arrives in town to buy some historic buildings on Main Street. He, too, has plans: to create a modern mall. Allie is more than concerned. She even wants to protest. But when Jason invites her to cater a lavish party, she finds him surprisingly likable. Then she’s summoned to his estate for a meeting—and finds him dead.

Once again Allie’s landed in the middle of a crime scene. Worse, one of her earrings is later discovered near the body. And when police learn she was upset about the mall, she’s suspect #1. Allie’s blossoming sleuthing skills once cleared Tegan’s name, but can she save herself—before a killer writes her a not-so-great Gatsbyesque ending . . .

Author Bio

Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, the Fairy Garden Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, as well as the Cheese Shop Mysteries written under the name Avery Aames. She also writes standalone suspense novels and the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense. Prior to her career as a novelist, she was an actress with roles in television shows including “Murder, She Wrote,” and she wrote for the popular TV sitcom “Out of this World.” Originally from the Bay Area, she now lives in Southern California, where she likes to cook, garden, and spend time with her frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky.

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/

Purchase Links 

AMAZON    BARNES AND NOBLE     BOOKSHOP.ORG    KOBO      MYSTERIOUS GALAXY

Giveaway

Book Review - Death on Dickens Island: A Books on the Beach Mystery by Allison Brook

My Review

Delia Dickens has recently moved home to Dickens Island, a small town off Long Island, New York.  She has reunited with her 15 year old son, who was being raised by her parents, and she is living in her grandmother's old home and working in her father's general store.  When a family friend is murdered, she starts looking into the murder - only to discover another decades-old mystery.  

I wanted to read Death on Dickens Island because Allison Brook's Haunted Library series is one of my favorites.  I was excited to see that she has a new cozy mystery series!

Wow!  What a start to a cozy series.  I read this book in a couple of days because I couldn't put it down.  I loved the setting - a quiet, sleepy little island with Victorian homes and lots of small town charm.

I really like Delia, who has just come back home to reconnect with her past - including, very importantly, her fifteen year old son Connor.  She also reconnects with her high school sweetheart, who broke her heart years ago.  He's now the trusted town vet - but can she trust him with her heart again?  We also meet her father, who runs an old fashioned general store, her aunt and uncle (often at odds with each other), her mother (now living in NYC), and her ghostly grandmother, who only appears to Delia in the secret room - a little library - of her home.  There is even a lovable rescue dog, a Bearded Collie named Riley.

The initial mystery is set up early on, and it deepens and becomes more complicated (and more dangerous) as Delia investigates.

I really look forward to future books in this series.  I enthusiastically recommend Death on Dickens Island for other cozy mystery readers.  It has a charming small town, an intrepid amateur detective, a ghostly relative (who helps with and adds to the mystery), and even a secret room!

Book Synopsis

A divorced sleuth in her thirties must bring peace back to her small town after a murder tears neighbors and family members apart in this series debut from Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook, perfect for fans of Cynthia Riggs and Eva Gates.

Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, a small island in the Long Island Sound, after a twelve-year stint in Manhattan. She’s looking forward to helping her father revitalize the general store that the family owns as well as curating a small book nook. Most importantly, she wants to reunite with her fifteen-year-old son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers–and she might be in more danger here than she ever was in the big city.

Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both prominent community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. This has created friction, not only in their marriage, but amongst the citizens of the town. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point.

With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case and at each other’s throats, the townspeople start to take sides. When the ghost of her grandmother visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present, and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets in order to catch a murderer and restore peace to her beloved island.

Author Bio

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, novels of suspense, and  books for kids. Her books have received many accolades. As Allison Brook she writes the Haunted Library series. Death Overdue, the first in the series, was an Agatha nominee for Best Contemporary Novel in 2018. Other mysteries include the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series, the Twin Lakes series, and Giving Up the Ghost. Her suspense, Come Home to Death, was released in April 2024, and her suspense, Dangerous Relations, will be republished in 2025. Death on Dickens Island is the first book in her Books on the Beach series.

Marilyn’s juvenile novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council Children’s Choice and has recently come out in a new edition. Rufus and the Witch’s Drudge, the second book in the series, has been released, and the third, Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic, will be out later this year. And Don’t Bring Jeremy was a nominee for six state awards. Her YA horror, The Devil’s Pawn, came out in a new edition in January 2024.

Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her books take place. She loves traveling, reading, doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, chatting on FaceTime with her grandkids, and playing with her kittens, Romeo and Juliet.

Author Links

Website/Newsletter Sign Up: http://www.marilynlevinson.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson

X: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marilyn-levinson

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allison-brook

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilynlevinsonauthor/

Purchase Links: Amazon