Book Review and Giveaway - Bulletproof Barista (A Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle

My Review

Clare Cosi, who runs the Village Blend coffeehouse in New York City, is excited when Only Murders in Gotham, a popular streaming series, is going to be filming some locations in her coffeehouse.  That is - until there are some scary things that happen on the set, and she decides to investigate.

I wanted to read Bulletproof Barista because I always enjoy Cleo Coyle's mysteries. I have read some, but not all, of the Coffeehouse Mystery series, and had no problem enjoying this book as a standalone read.

I think this is my favorite Cleo Coyle book yet!  I am a big fan of Only Murders in the Building, and enjoyed the similarities between that show and Only Murders in Gotham - and the characters who reminded me a lot of Steve Martin and Selena Gomez too.

I loved the coffee and foodie descriptions and the day-to-day working of the coffeehouse.  I also enjoyed the details of the TV set.

The mystery is fast paced with lots of surprises. Clare is a smart detective, whether working on her own or consulting with her fiancé, who is a detective.

I recommend Bulletproof Barista - and this series - for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, NYC settings, foodie books, or fiction about TV production.  It was a really fun read!

Book Synopsis

When a film crew’s location shoot delivers an actual shooting, Clare Cosi finds herself at the scene of a true crime in this showstopping entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot.

While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings. But can she root out the rotten player in this Big Apple production before the lights go out on her?

Includes a stellar menu of surefire recipes!

Author Bio

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times-bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries and Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, both celebrating 20 years in print. With more than one million books sold, their work has been honored with starred reviews and multiple best-of-year list selections by reviewers. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together. Connect with Cleo at CoffeehouseMystery.com

Author Links

Webpage: https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/

Free Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cleocoylerecipes/newsletter

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CleoCoyle

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cleo-coyle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51488.Cleo_Coyle

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

Giveaway

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Book Review and Giveaway - Holly, Baubles and Murder: A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Amateur Sleuth (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery) by Victoria Tait

My Review

Dotty Sayers travels to Yorkshire to arrange a Christmas display in an old estate house there. As she works, she gets to know the family, and enjoys her time ... until one of the tour guides turns up dead.  She works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Holly, Baubles, and Murder because I read a short story by the author in an anthology this year and greatly enjoyed it. I have been wanting to read one of her mystery novels since.

I absolutely loved this book and, although it worked fine as a standalone, I really want to read the rest of this series now.  I loved the estate setting, which reminded me of a modern day Downton Abbey.

I also loved the pets in this mystery.  Dotty has a cat named Earl Grey and the Dowager has a dachshund named Reggie (Sir Reginald). There are other cats and dogs in the family as well.

The details in this book were lovely, including the English food and the Christmas decorations, based on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (and featuring a wardrobe door and a forest of trees in the house).

The mystery aspect of the story was interesting and well paced. I liked following along as Dotty worked to find a solution.

I enjoyed this mystery so much, and recommend Holly, Baubles and Murder for other cozy mystery fans as well!

Book Synopsis  

A joyful Christmas festival turns deadly when a corpse ends up as the chilling centerpiece. Can an amateur sleuth unwrap the tinsel-tangled mystery before the merry cheer melts away?

Talented antique enthusiast, Dotty Sayers, is thrilled to be organising a Christmas display at a Yorkshire country house. She enjoys decking the halls, but the season is far from jolly when the chief guide is found dead, her body as cold as ice. 

When cops dismiss the death, Dotty turns to her prickly American colleague, only to learn he has his own secrets to solve. But when he disappears, this amateur detective fears the festive charades have become far deadlier. 

Can Dotty string together the clues and bring to light the killer?

Author Bio

Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England. After following her military husband around the world, she drew on her life’s experiences, and a love of Agatha Christie, Father Brown, and Murder She Wrote, to write British-based cozy mysteries. 

Her determined female sleuths are joined by colourful and quirky teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and realistic. As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world where you’ll experience surprises, humour, and sometimes, a tug on your heartstrings. 

Do you like tea, mysteries, and books? Then why not join Victoria’s TeaCozy Club for regular news and updates, and download the free prequel to the Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries series as a gift by visiting VictoriaTait.com 

Who doesn’t like tea, cake, and a slice of murder?

Author Links
Website: https://victoriatait.com/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/victoria-tait

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VictoriaTaitAuthor/_saved/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20373879.Victoria_Tait

Purchase Links  Book2Read  Amazon

Giveaway

https://kingsumo.com/g/j5htq4/cozy-christmas-baubles-giveaway

Book Review and Giveaway - Murder by the Seashore (A California Bookshop Mystery) by Samara Yew

My Review

Scarlett Gardner is happy in her life as a bookstore owner in a small beach community in Southern California ... that is, until she goes for an early morning walk and finds a body under the pier. The murdered woman turns out to be someone who was bequeathing a great deal of money to Scarlett ... making her the chief suspect.

I wanted to read Murder by the Seashore because I love cozy mysteries. I especially enjoy bookstore settings, and the beach locale was an added bonus.

This is a terrific start to a new series.  I really liked Scarlett as a bookstore owner - and also an amateur detective.  I enjoyed following her sleuthing on this case.  The author does a great job at introducing the new characters, the bookstore, and the feel of this beach community.

I recommend Murder by the Seashore for fans of cozy fiction, and especially for anyone who enjoys bookstore or beach settings.  I look forward to reading more in this new series.

Book Synopsis

Southern California is where dreams come true—or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about—she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookshop that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.

After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she’s left with more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners, but for all the wrong reasons – curious tourists don’t want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer.

Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have get creative—and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.

Author Bio

Samara Yew is a cozy mystery author who writes about adorable bookshops and dead bodies. A full-time mom, full-time dog servant, and part-time writer, Samara lives in British Columbia, Canada, where she can often be found watching Psych reruns. Samara loves to travel, especially visiting her husband’s home country of Singapore or donning Mickey ears in Disneyland. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

Author Links
Website https://samarayew.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/samara.yew.books

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/samarayewauthor

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samara.yew.author

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24259604.Samara_Yew

Purchase Links – Amazon – PenguinRandomHouse – B&N – Chapters Indigo

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Book Review - On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni

My Review

Cora Matthews returns to Moonberry Lake when her mother passes away suddenly. She discovers she has inherited her grandparents' lodge, a place she loved as a child but hasn't visited in many years.  The lodge is in great disrepair, and as she sets about restoring it, she discovers a new community in this quirky little Minnesota town.

I wanted to read On Moonberry Lake because the story resonated with me. My mother also recently passed and I am working on a beloved old house restoration. I enjoy small town fiction and found the lakeside lodge setting appealing.

This book was a delight from start to finish.  I love small towns that become almost a character themselves - like Mayberry or Lake Wobegon or Stars Hollow.  There is a rich variety of quirky but lovable neighbors that Cora becomes acquainted with, and I loved meeting every one of them too. 

The story of the lodge restoration held great interest for me, but I also enjoyed reading how Cora restored her soul and sense of place as she settled into this little community.  There are a couple of twists and turns and even a sweet love story.

There is also great humor, as seen in the "Sightings and Satire" column of the local newspaper, with tidbits like:

"It’s that time of year again for the fire department to check and flush the fire hydrants. As torrents of water are released, residents are encouraged to use the water wisely by participating in public bathing. Come wash your dogs, cars, and children. Note that nudity is prohibited. Although all creation is to be celebrated, some is better left covered" (eBook location 5202).

It appears that On Moonberry Lake is going to be the first in a series, and I hope it is a long series - as I intend to read every book.  I cannot recommend this charming and uplifting novel highly enough.

Book Synopsis

Cora Matthews's life is a mess. A broken engagement and the unexpected death of her mother have left her wondering if things will ever return to normal. Whatever "normal" is.

It certainly isn't what she finds at Moonberry Lake. After she receives her family's dilapidated lakefront lodge as an inheritance--with a surprising condition attached--Cora finds her life overrun by a parade of eccentric neighbors who all have something to say and something to teach her.

As Cora works to put her life back together, she must decide if she is willing to let go of the past, open her heart to love, and embrace the craziest version of family and home she could ever have imagined. 

Author Bio

Holly Varni is a native Minnesotan of strong Norwegian descent, who was raised in the Lutheran Church that Garrison Keillor made a career depicting. Between the lutefisk, grumpy grandparents, and crazy neighbors who mowed their lawn wearing pajamas, the seed to becoming a storyteller was planted. Though she, her husband, and their three sons live along the Central Coast of California, her beloved Midwest roots continue to haunt everything she writes. She hosts the Moments from Moonberry Lake podcast where she shares more stories of her beloved characters. Learn more at www.hollyvarni.com.

 

Book Review and Giveaway - Overdue or Die (A Haunted Library Mystery) by Allison Brook

My Review

Carrie Singleton is working at the small town library she loves in Clover Ridge, Connecticut, planning her wedding to Dylan Avery, and helping her uncle recover from a heart attack. Then she suddenly becomes involved in two cases - counterfeit art, and a murder at the local art gallery. She works to solve them with the help of her ghostly friend, Evelyn.

I wanted to read Overdue or Die because I love the Haunted Library mystery series.  I have enjoyed the other books in this series and always await the next in the series!

This was a wonderful read.  Carrie is always a smart, intuitive detective, and I love the way Evelyn helps her with clues in the cases.  The mystery is well paced with several plausible suspects.  It was fun detecting along with Carrie.

I also enjoy Carrie's relationships with Dylan, her aunt and uncle, her friends - and her kitty Smokey Joe!  I always especially enjoy cozy mysteries with lovable cats or dogs.

I recommend Overdue or Die - and the whole Haunted Library series - to fans of cozy mysteries, and especially to anyone who enjoys a library setting or small town atmosphere.

Book Synopsis  

Carrie Singleton has a wedding to plan, a killer to catch, and a conspiracy to uncover in this charming seventh novel of Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mysteries.

Carrie Singleton has more than her fair share on her plate: her job at the Clover Ridge Library, preparing for her wedding to Dylan Avery, and hoping that the local art gallery doesn’t steal away one of her part-time employees. Her fiancé Dylan accompanies her to the beautiful home of Victor Zalinka—art collector and successful businessman—to select paintings for an art show at the library. While Carrie muses that Victor’s home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor’s collection.

Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. With the assistance of Evelyn, the library ghost; the resident cat, Smoky Joe; and the office manager of Dylan’s private investigation company, Carrie comes up with a suspect list long enough to rival the size of an encyclopedia. During her investigation, Carrie stumbles across a terrible truth: Martha’s murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. And it all leads back to the art gallery.

How far will Carrie go to find the killer and uncover the truth? If the killer finds her first—will Carrie finally be taken out of circulation?

Author Bio

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries and novels 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 and the Twin Lakes series.

Her 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. And Don’t Bring Jeremy was a nominee for six state awards.

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

Author Links
Website and Sign Up for My Newsletter: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
Facetime: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marilyn-levinson; https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allison-brook
My Amazon Page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marilev/

Purchase Links :
Amazon    B&N    Bookshop.org Kobo
Penguin Random House (has links to many sellers

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