Book Review and Giveaway - Death of an Antiquarian: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery by Rose Kerr

My Review

Archaeologist Mia Reid is busy working on a new exhibit at the Lakeview City Museum in Ontario.  When she goes to an antique shop sale with her grandmother, she meets a local antique dealer ... who dies suddenly afterwards.  His daughter asks Mia to look into the case, and she becomes involved in solving the mystery of his murder.

I wanted to read Death of an Antiquarian because I have a lifelong interest in antiques.  The details in this book - antiques, Mia's archaeology work, Luke's Interpol work, and antiquities smuggling, were all absolutely fascinating!

Mia is such a smart protagonist.  I loved the way she approached the mystery with such a calm, methodical manner.  

This is the second book in the Mia Reid series but I had no problem at all enjoying Death of an Antiquarian as a standalone read.

The mystery aspect of this book was well done, with strong suspects and some unexpected plot twists.  I enjoyed this read and look forward to future books in the series!

Book Synopsis

When archaeologist Dr. Mia Reid takes a contract position at the Lakeview City Museum, she expects artifacts, exhibitions, and research notes, not murder. The death of a local antique dealer, with unexpected ties to artifact smuggling, draws Mia into a dangerous mystery.

As chatter of an international smuggling ring surfaces, Mia and Luke race to uncover the truth. The stakes rise when threats reach her—and her beloved grandmother.

With lives in jeopardy and artifacts at risk of vanishing forever into the black market, Mia must use all her skills to piece together the puzzle. Can she expose a killer before the next artifact or person disappears?

Author Bio

Retired in Southern Ontario with her husband, Rose spends her days crafting mysteries featuring strong, smart women who use their resourcefulness to solve crimes. When she’s not writing, she enjoys discovering the hidden gems of the region and indulging her lifelong curiosity.

Author Links

Website: https://rosekerr.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r.m.kerr/?hl=en

Pinterest: https://ca.pinterest.com/RoseKerrauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22146877.Rose_Kerr

Amazon Author Central page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/rose-kerr-mysteries

Purchase Links:  Amazon  Barnes and Noble    Kobo    Bookshop.org

Giveaway 

Book Review - Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews

My Review

After Maeve and Therese Dunigan's mother passes away, they meet at their childhood home in Savannah.  They could not be more different;  Maeve is a by the rules professor, while Therese is a rule breaking actress.  They are both single, out of work, and at odds with each other.  Three things happen that change everything:  they discover their mother had mortgaged their family home and they are in financial straits;  they find out that an old ancestral portrait hanging in their home may be worth a great deal of money;  they learn that their mother saved money for them to take a trip to Ireland together, as her last wish.  They go to Ireland to learn about their ancestry and the mysterious painting.  They discover more mysteries there, possible romance, and twists and turns that effect them both.

I wanted to read Road Trip because I love Mary Kay Andrews' books.  She is one of my favorite writers and I always enjoy her summer reads.

This was such a delightful, engrossing book!  I found myself going slowly because I wanted to savor the story.  I liked Maeve right away, and Therese grew on me as a character as the book went on.  I loved Liam, the Irish whiskey distiller, the gruff and quirky Esme, who is a previously unknown relative, and of course Esme's cocker spaniel, the memorably named Sinead O'Cocker.

I enjoyed the Irish inn, the countryside, and the mystery that unfolded there about their great-grandmother Kathleen.  Kathleen is at the center of their history.  She disappeared in the 1920's along with a family portrait and a mysterious murder, traveling to America and a new life there.  The glimpses of her life in Ireland, and later in America, are fascinating.

Road Trip is an absolutely perfect summer read, especially for anyone who enjoys some armchair travel and a mystery mixed in.  It is sure to be one of my top 10 books of 2026, and I highly recommend it.

PS - I have to add that I found Celtic Relaxation Music at Spotify a perfect soundtrack for reading this novel!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Book Review - The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay

My Review

Hannah Spencer has spent five years traveling in her bright yellow van with her Harlequin Great Dane named Dude.  When her beloved grandfather Pops passes away and leaves her his cottage in the Outer Banks, she travels to take care of the house and decide what to do next.  The only problem?  Someone else is already there - illustrator-turned-insurance-man Simon O’Malley, who has been told he inherited the cottage from his grandfather Gramps.  It turns out their grandfathers left them the cottage together, with the understanding that they will live there for two months and then work out a solution.

I wanted to read The Summer Share because it sounded like a great beach read.  The Outer Banks setting and the Great Dane were added pluses!

This is such a lovely book, full of some unexpected but sweet twists and turns as Hannah and Simon research their family history ... and also get acquainted.  The little beachside town of Cape Split is charmingly depicted - with old cottages, a beachfront ice cream parlor, and the quirkiest, most charming small town south of the Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow.

I loved the leads: Hannah - a kind hearted reporter turned vlogger, and Simon, an artist at heart, someone who has been taking care of his siblings for years.  Their connection is instantaneous, sweet, and natural.  Unfortunately the obstacles they face are also real.

I read The Summer Share slowly because I wanted to enjoy my time in Cape Split with this lovable cast of characters.  It would be a perfect beach read.   This is a five star book for me, and I recommend it for other readers who enjoy southern beach settings, small town reads, quirky communities, and gentle, heartwarming love stories.


Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Book Review and Giveaway - Masher of Ceremonies: A Vintage Kitchen Mystery by Victoria Hamilton

My Review

Jaymie Müller is planning a big fundraiser in her Queensland, Michigan hometown called Tea with the Queen.  It is a week long event, even including townspeople dressed up as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  In the midst of this festival, her friend's assistant is found murdered.  Jaymie works - on her own and with the police's blessings - to find the killer and solve the mystery.  

I wanted to read Masher of Ceremonies because of the Vintage Kitchen Mystery theme.  I love all things vintage, and especially kitchenware, cookbooks, etc., so I was intrigued.  

This is my first read in this series, but there is a wonderful, descriptive Cast of Characters list included.  This helped me to jump right in and enjoy Masher of Ceremonies as a standalone read.  I wish more cozy mysteries would include a character listing - it is always so helpful!

This is a fun, leisurely paced read.  (The murder occurred almost half way through the book.)  

I really like Jaymie.  We see her home life with her husband, daughter, cat, and little Yorkie Hopalong (Hoppy).   We see her doing event planning, working with vintage kitchenware, and also as an amateur detective.   The author did a wonderful job at creating a fully rounded character with a lot of nuance.  

Jaymie has a gift of detecting, following her hunches, and having great intuition.  I really enjoyed solving the mystery along with her.

I found the details of the weeklong Tea With the Queen festival interesting as well!

I look forward to reading more books in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series.  I recommend Masher of Ceremonies to other cozy mystery fans.  It's an engrossing, well written mystery.

Book Synopsis

A fundraiser for the local historical society nearly goes bust when someone fills the coffers with blackmail and murder . . .

The annual Tea With the Queen fundraiser always makes for a festive weekend in Queensville, drawing visitors from far and wide and giving local shops a welcome boost. This year, vintage kitchenware collector Jaymie Müller is running the event, and she’s got her hands full organizing old and new volunteers along with a surly catering crew. Then her master of ceremonies tells her he’s being blackmailed but can’t go to the police, and before Jaymie can sort that out she stumbles over a dead body at the tea.

Despite the demands of keeping the event up and running, Jaymie can’t help puzzling over the murder. There’s no concrete evidence linking the cretin behind the blackmail scheme to the dead body, so she begins questioning everyone connected to the blackmail, hoping to expose the killer. And just as she discovers a web of relationships that leads her to the culprit, she realizes that the Tea With the Queen may have been a royal pain, but outwitting a blackmailer and catching a killer may be the death of her . . .

Includes a vintage recipe!

Author Bio

Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. Victoria is the bestselling author of three mystery series, the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and the Merry Muffin Mysteries. She also writes a Regency-set historical mystery series, starting with A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder. Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com.

Social Details:

Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her newsletter for all the latest!)

On Substack (Sign up for newsletter… always FREE!): Go to: https://substack.com/@victoriahamiltonmysteries and ‘Subscribe’ for the FREE Victoria Hamilton Mysteries newsletter!

On  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaHamiltonMysteryAuthor

On BlueSky: @mysteryvictoria.bsky.social

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysteryauthorvictoriahamilton/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/598635.Victoria_Hamilton

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Hamilton/e/B007T7LGAU

Purchase Links

Ebooks:

Amazon CA     AmazonUS      Kobo      Barnes & Noble      Smashwords     Google Play Books

Giveaway

Book Review and Giveaway - Murder, She Wrote: Murder Most Trivial by Jessica Fletcher and Barbara Early

My Review

Jessica Fletcher travels to Los Angeles with her friends Seth Hazlitt and Maureen and Mort Metzger to compete in a new pub trivia show on television.  They are having fun staying with her niece and nephew in an interesting but spooky old Hollywood home and eating out at old Hollywood spots.  Then a crew member is murdered and Jessica works, with her friends, to solve the mystery.  

I wanted to read Murder, She Wrote: Murder Most Trivial because I love Murder, She Wrote - both the TV series and the book series.  I try to read all the books as they are published.

I usually prefer the Cabot Cove setting but I absolutely loved reading about Jessica's adventures in Los Angeles with her old friends.  There were several interesting layers to this book:  the mystery itself, the spooky old mansion they are staying in, and references to favorite TV detectives, including Monk and Columbo.

This was a fun and fast-paced read.  The mystery is well plotted and intriguing.  I enjoyed sleuthing along with Jessica.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder, She Wrote: Murder Most Trivial and am sure that other cozy mystery fans will enjoy it too.  It is one of my favorite books in this series.

Book Synopsis

The newest delightful entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series, featuring mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher.

Jessica Fletcher and friends Seth Hazlitt and Maureen and Mort Metzger team up for pub trivia and crush the competition, then are stunned to learn that the prize is a chance to appear in a five-day trivia tournament filming in LA.

No one expects life-or-death stakes! But on day one of the tournament, a crew member is murdered. Who would benefit from derailing the show? Jessica has to come up with the ultimate answer.

In a metafictional twist, the investigation takes Jessica and the gang to the filming locations of their favorite mystery shows, where they discuss how Columbo, Monk, or Jim Rockford might go about solving the case.

Author Bios

Jessica Fletcher is a bestselling mystery writer who has a knack for stumbling upon real-life mysteries in her various travels. Barbara Early coauthors this volume.

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   Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – Penguin Random House 

Giveaway

Book Review - Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey

My Review

NICU nurse Daisy Stevens moves to Cape Carolina to start a new life.  On her first day at the hospital, she meets Mason Thaysden, who brings in a newborn baby found in a dumpster.  They both grow attached to the baby and Daisy works to foster (and possibly adopt her).  She grows close to Mason, and his family, especially his eccentric Aunt Tilly.  Then something happens that threatens everything . . . 

I wanted to read Summer State of Mind because I love Southern fiction and Summer reads.  I had not read Kristy Woodson Harvey before, but have heard how good her books are.  

This was such a lovely read!  It wasn't the light Summer beach read I expected.  There are a lot of layers to the story.  The main characters - Daisy, Mason, and Tilly - all have losses in their past that have shaped their present:  a tragic loss at the hospital, the loss of a longed-for career, the loss of a much-loved partner.  As they go forward, they occasionally slide back a bit as well.  But they do go forward, and I found their stories compelling and ultimately uplifting as well.

The book is told in alternating viewpoints, so readers get to know all three characters through the novel.  The author does a wonderful job at voice and characterization.

I really loved Summer State of Mind and will look for more books by Kristy Woodson Harvey.  I recommend this novel for fans of Southern fiction, Summer settings, and women's fiction.  Five stars!


Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Book Review and Giveaway - Dead Focused and Hocus Pocused (The Empty Nest Mystical Cozy Mystery Series) by Marcy Blesy

My Review

Juli Tully is having a hard time with her sons growing up and moving out -- so she attends the Empty Nest Retreat in a remote estate in Michigan.  No technology, no contact with family - but that isn't the hard part.  There is a murder at the retreat, and fingers point at Juli.  She is determined to solve the mystery ... as she uncovers more mysterious (and magical!) happenings.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries.  The gentle magical twist was unique and intriguing.

This was a fun read!  Juli is a likable and empathetic protagonist.  She resists the retreat but ends up meeting a few other empty nesters who help in her sleuthing - and who become friends.

The magic details are fun -- especially, of course, Prudence, the talking cat!  I liked the surprises around the estate too;  they kept me guessing.

The mystery is well written, fast moving, and a light, enjoyable read.  It is the first in a new series that I look forward to.  I recommend Dead Focused and Hocus Pocused to other cozy mystery fans.  

Book Synopsis

The Empty Nest Retreat was supposed to help Juli find herself. Not question her sanity—or reality.

When Juli Tully’s kids fly the coop and she takes early retirement, the silence in her house is deafening—and not in a calming, spa-music kind of way. At her mother’s not-so-subtle urging, she signs for the Empty Nest Retreat at the Sand Bur Estate, a stately mansion perched on the windswept dunes of Lake Michigan.

Juli nearly bolts when she learns the retreat is phone-free. No texts. No doom-scrolling. No emergency updates from her kids. Instead, she’s stuck with an unusual group of fellow empty nesters: Nelle, a perpetually cheerful optimist; Kimmie, a bubbly influencer convinced the estate is magical; and Jedd, an arrogant dad who fancies himself Parent of the Year—and takes an instant dislike to Juli.

Then things get… strange.

Temperatures swing wildly. Lights flicker. Objects float. Juli can’t tell if her menopausal symptoms have gone off the rails or if rumors about the estate’s supernatural past are true.

Between meditation sessions and awkward financial-planning talks, one of the estate’s employees dies under suspicious circumstances. Thanks to Juli’s increasingly unpredictable “episodes,” she becomes the prime suspect.

With a murder to solve, a reputation to save, and a sarcastic talking cat who knows more than she’s letting on, Juli must uncover the truth—before this empty nest lands her in handcuffs.

If you love:

Empty nest reinvention

Midlife amateur sleuth

Retreat gone wrong

Isolated estate near Lake Michigan

Light paranormal elements

Self-help retreat chaos

Haunted (or is it?) mansion

Sarcastic talking cat

Humor with heart

Found family friendships

Wrongly suspected heroine

Cozy whodunit
You’ll adore this humorous cozy mystery set under along the shores of Lake Michigan!

Empty nests bring new beginnings… and unexpected secrets.

Author Bio

Marcy Blesy is the author of over thirty  books across genres, best known for her Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series and the Monthly Murder  Movie Club Cozy Mystery Series —humorous, heartwarming whodunits filled with senior sleuths, quirky characters, and animal sidekicks. Her cozy mysteries spotlight midlife reinvention, found family, and laugh-out-loud amateur sleuthing, perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Finlay Donovan, and The Golden Girls.

Marcy also writes the Ghost Texter Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series, starring a kindergarten teacher-turned-reluctant sleuth, and the Secrets romantic mystery duo (The Secret of Blue Lake and The Secret of Silver Beach), transporting readers to the scenic and suspenseful shores of Michigan.

For younger readers, Marcy’s best-selling Be the Vet series offers interactive veterinary mysteries for kids ages 9–13. Her early chapter book series—Evie and the Volunteers, Niles and Bradford, Third Grade Outsider, and Hazel, the Clinic Cat—delight animal lovers and growing readers alike.

When she’s not writing, you’ll find Marcy treasure-hunting along Lake Michigan in search of rare red beach glass. She believes every story should offer heart, humor, and a hint of hope—whether it’s solving a mystery or chasing a dream.

Author Links

Website    Facebook    Instagram   GoodReads

Purchase Link – Amazon 

Giveaway

Book Review - The Parisian Chapter by Janet Skeslien Charles

My Review

In 1995, Lily Jacobsen is living in Paris.   She was inspired to leave her Froid, Minnesota home by her neighbor Odile, who told Lily inspiring stories about her life at the American Library in Paris (ALP) during World War II.  Lily wants to be a writer.  Her best friend, who has traveled with her, wants to be an artist.  They find Paris to be enchanting ... but different than expected in terms of their dreams.  Lily chances upon a part-time job as Programs Manager at ALP, the same library that Odile once worked at.  She finds a mysterious manuscript in the archives that relates to Odile's life long ago in Paris.  As Lily finds a community at the library, she continues to work on her writing.  She finds love.  She feels she has lost her best friend ... and works to patch up that relationship, and perhaps (through time and distance) also patch up Odile's broken friendship from the 1940's.

I wanted to read this book because I absolutely loved the author's book The Paris Library, about Odile's life at the ALP during World War II.  It was one of my favorite books the year I read it.  

The Parisian Chapter has so many things I love:

• Paris setting
• Library lore!
• Perfect evocation of another time and place
• People-centric storytelling (friends and love)
• Found family
• A mysterious throwback to years ago

The storytelling is lovely!  I really cared about Lily, her friend Mary Louise, Odile, and her lost friend Margaret.  And Paris!  And of course the library itself, with passages like:

"Continuing past the nonfiction stacks, I searched for my favorite numbers— 001.9 (the unexplained, like UFOs or Bigfoot) and 808 (writing and getting published). The greeter boasted about the library’s treasures: a pair of Hemingway’s tortoiseshell spectacles; a letter from Henry Miller; and books that had once belonged to the Left Bank bookseller Sylvia Beach (the patron saint of impoverished writers) as well as Marlene Dietrich, who scrawled opinions in the margins (“ This is without a doubt the worst writing I have ever laid eyes on.”)." (eBook location 312)

I enthusiastically recommend this lovely book to other readers who love historical fiction, Paris, libraries, and life affirming stories of friendship and found dreams.  Five stars from me!

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.  The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review and Giveaway - Murder in a Lavender Daze (An Aroma Wellness Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber

My Review

Emma Brennan owns the Aroma Wellness spa in Carmel, California.  She's planning a "Happily Divorced" party for a customer when that woman's mother is mysteriously murdered.  Emma works as an amateur detective to solve the mystery - even though this puts her in personal danger.

I wanted to read Murder in a Lavender Daze because I love cozy mysteries.  The Carmel setting and spa details sounded interesting.  

I have read a number of Daryl Wood Gerber's mysteries, but somehow missed the first book in this series.  That said, I had no problem at all enjoying this mystery as a standalone read.  I was happy to see some familiar characters from the Fairy Garden series make brief appearances!

Emma is an interesting protagonist.  She's very dedicated to her work at the spa, providing wellness, mindful meditation, and calming techniques to her customers.  At the same time she has a talent for solving mysteries!  I like her detecting style, which includes constructing a murder board.

I enjoyed the other characters as well, including Emma's co-workers, her cousin Sierra, and her parents.  (And, of course, Emma's lovable cat Vivi!)

The mystery kept me guessing and Emma solved it before I could.  I liked the pacing of the book, with relatively short chapters and a good deal of dialogue.  The Halloween setting was a fun touch.

I recommend Murder in a Lavender Daze for other cozy mystery readers.  It's a fresh, clever mystery with a unique spa setting.  

Book Synopsis

Emma Brennan always knew that her idyllic California hometown of Carmel-by-the-Sea would be the perfect place to open her very own spa. The success of her Aroma Wellness Spa, gift shop, and café has proved her right. But while the business is located in the Courtyard of Peace, Emma finds herself privy to events that are far from serene—like murder . . .

With its soothing décor and tempting treatments, customers are flocking to Aroma Wellness for more than just facials and massages. Lately, Emma has been booking private events, from spa parties to bridal showers and birthdays. Next on her calendar is something really unique: A “Happily Divorced” party.

After eight years of marriage, Addison Lacey is divorcing her husband, whom she claims convinced her he was Mr. Nice Guy when he was really Mr. Controlling Guy. To kick off her journey toward becoming a better version of herself, Addison wants to celebrate, bigtime. Her wealthy mother, Gianna, a former model turned difficult diva, is footing the bill. . . . But when Emma goes to Gianna’s home to pick up the final payment, she and Addison find her dead in her bed amid the aroma of lavender, with an herbal-infused pillow from the party nearby.

Soon, Addison is a prime suspect. But Emma knows there are plenty of others Gianna rubbed the wrong way, including her soon-to-be ex-son-in-law. Once again, with the help of her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma is determined to sniff out a killer—whether the police like it or not . . .

Author Bio

Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries, and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received Accidental Murder, The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. 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: https://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

BLUE SKY: @darylwoodgerber.bsky.social

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

Giveaway