Gimme Shelter

A Layla Virtue Mystery #2

By Libby Klein

IBSN 9781496748607

Author’s website: libbykleinbooks.com

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

This whip-smart, witty series packs an emotional punch within an engaging mystery as Layla Virtue, a 30-something recovering alcoholic and former cop turned party musician, finds a sideline in solving murders from her new home in a Potomac County trailer park…

An unforgettable mystery brimming with hilarity and heart for readers of Margot Douaihy, Jane Pek, and Darynda Jones.

As the song says, you can’t always get what you want. Maybe that’s why, instead of fulfilling her youthful dream of being a rock star, Layla Fortune is living in a trailer park while playing third-rate gigs, including a stint at a ʼ70s Abba brunch. Given everything else she’s been through lately, she’s not complaining (much) about satin ruffles and go-go boots. She has a squad of supportive new BFFs, and she’s reclaimed a relationship with her famous rocker dad. His recent diagnosis has brought them even closer—sharing the trailer park’s lake house, which he’s had remodeled in typically over-the-top style.

Layla’s dad loves his new community and the feeling seems mutual. So, why is one of them blackmailing him? It’s a mystery almost as baffling as the assignment Layla receives from her former commissioner: look into the brutal murder of a mild-mannered school teacher. Archie Wilkins was bludgeoned with a candelabra, shot up with drugs, and stuffed into a church confessional. Not the kind of outcome expected for a guy reputed to be the world’s nicest.

Perhaps Archie had secrets. Perhaps everyone does, including Layla’s one-time cop colleagues. She’s been blaming herself for a deadly ambush that destroyed her career and her peace of mind, but as her new friends help Layla regain her memories, a different picture emerges, and it’s one that forces her to question so much that she’s taken as truth . . . (From Goodreads)

Review:

Gimme Shelter is a fabulous read! This fast-paced, emotionally charged mystery immediately captured and held my attention. Layla, the daughter of famous rock star Don Virtue, is a former police officer and an alcoholic in recovery. I’ve read very few mysteries in which the protagonist – and her father – are recovering alcoholics, one day at a time without alcohol or drugs. Some might think that alcoholics in recovery, or in early stages of dementia, despairing the suicide of a friend, or crushed by the responsibility of one’s team being murdered, should not be in quality mysteries. I disagree. The inherent beauty of each person becoming stronger through their circumstances is worth it. I’m here for the mystery, and characters who are becoming like family are a bonus.

Layla and her new friends in AA continue to seek answers to the tragedy that ended her almost twenty-year law enforcement career. Assigned to a special drug unit, Layla and her team spent months preparing for a major drug bust. She had almost no memory of the results. Her team was ambushed. In her unexplained absence, her fiancé, Jacob, told the team to proceed. She arrived to see her team, including Jacob, killed in an explosion. Layla left the department, demolished b guilt and shame. She moved to a small mobile home in a park that housed mostly retirees. She regularly attended AA meetings and attempted the rock career she wanted decades earlier.

Her father, recently diagnosed with dementia, came to live with her. Don, the laid-back star, was used to mansions and Hollywood parties, and the mobile home was too tiny. He bought the mobile home park for Layla, and fully remodeled the owner’s cottage as their home.

Layla found an envelope stuffed under her front door with a recent photo of her late fiancé, Jacob. Scrawled on the back was “Jacob is ALIVE”. The photo included a campaign sign for candidates who weren’t running yet at the time ambush. She contacted her nemesis at the police department, Detective Dayton Castinetto. His tech confirmed it had not been altered. He spoke with her about a case file that the commissioner wanted her to look through. A beloved private school teacher had been murdered, and they had run out of leads. Dayton wanted her to stay out of it, but her curiosity – and the commissioner’s request – propelled her forward.

Thankfully, Layla had a PTSD-trained support dog. And, for the first time since middle school, she had three treasured female friends. They insisted on befriending her when she began to go to AA meetings they often attended. They were valuable allies when investigating or when someone craved a drink.

Layla helped her friends and her father to the best of her ability. Her wry wit lightened her attitude and sometimes overcame the negative emotions spinning in her mind. Ringo, her 85-pound, loving, emotional support dog, exemplified the value of dogs trained for PTSD and other struggles of mind or emotions. At least two other adults benefited from Ringo’s skills, one being the veteran who trained him. The versatility of this author is demonstrated in emotional scenes when a friend wanted to drink again, panic when Don went missing after ignoring blackmail letters, or when describing Layla, dressed as a turkey, playing square dance music.

Layla is my favorite, and I appreciate the courage it takes for her to get up in the morning and go forward. I also enjoy Nick, her nearby neighbor, her father, and her new lady friends. The characters are defined with excellence through their behaviors and conversations.

The mysteries are always front and center with remarkable twists and turns. The ending is very satisfactory, and surprising! I highly recommend this cozy mystery and series, especially for those who appreciate an excellent cozy mystery with strong characters, drama, and people in recovery.

Title: The Summer Share

By:  Jenn McKinlay

ISBN: 9780593955468 (ISBN10: 0593955463)

ASIN: 0593955463

Website: https://www.jennmckinlay.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

When two misfits discover they’ve inherited the same beach house, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways, in this hilarious and heartfelt rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.

Free-spirited travel influencer Hannah Spencer has spent five years touring the country in her vintage van. An unexpected inheritance from her Pops brings Hannah to Cape Split, North Carolina, where she learns she’s the new owner of a worse-for-wear seaside beach house. Or, rather, fifty percent of one. Turns out Simon O’Malley inherited the other half from his Gramps.

As Simon and Hannah spend the summer tag-teaming repairs on the crumbling cottage, they discover the house was once home to a timeless love story. Soon, they begin to wonder if the house’s romantic past may be a good omen for their future together. But there’s one problem—Simon is set on selling the property at the end of the summer.

Hannah thought one summer at the Split would be enough, except it isn’t like any place she’s ever been, and Simon isn’t like any man she’s ever known—and she’s thinking about putting down some roots. She just needs Simon to see their budding relationship and this newfound community the same way or their first summer share might also be their last. (Goodreads)

Review:

The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay was a truly perfect way to start my summer reading season.

Right off the bat we find out that the main protagonist, Hannah, has named her van – Buttercup and that Buttercup is in trouble! If nothing else, naming her van had me hooked and I knew that I would like this read . And her Great Dane rescue was named “Dude”. How perfect .

Hannah is a travel blogger living in her van traversing the country. On the way to her next stop, she runs into van trouble. Luckily she is on route to the cottage that her pops had spent many a summer in the Outer Banks at.

“No one in the family had ever been invited into his fishing sanctuary. It was just him and his solitary weeks spend on the water. I think we accepted the banishment only because he kept us supplied with enough grouper, red drum, and little tunny for the entire winter. 

Now that I was here, my chest felt tight with a fresh wave of loss for the man who had been my number one fan, my champion, and my best friend.”

What a tribute to her pops. I certainly got a close family vibe right off the bat. When Pops and Nana divorced, Hannah’s father called it the most amicable parting of the ways in the history of marriage. So Hannah is going to Pops cottage and her memories start to resurface and..

“When had Pops bought the house that we’d rented for our vacations, and why hadn’t he ever told me? I marveled at the place that held a decade of summer memories.”

Simon is at Gramps getaway cottage. He is on the dock attempting to fish, but nothing is biting! All of a sudden Simon is aware that Dude is running full tilt down the dock and will soon collide with him. They both end up in the channel.

Once dry (both Simon and Hannah) had a meeting with a lawyer and were informed that each of their grandfathers owned ½ of the cottage and land and now they were co-owners of said property. The only stipulation is that they both must reside in the house for the duration of one summer (two months or so) while updating the cottage to its former glory. After that, whatever they decided to do with the property must be consensual. 

As one can imagine, living with each other had many unexpected consequences. First and foremost, they got to know their respective deceased grandfathers better. And of course being a ‘romcom’ there is romance involved. And of course many (and I mean many) scenes involving Dude! And that certainly made me laugh.

I found as Hannah and Simon traversed the unfolding of their ‘pops’ and ‘gramps’ lives and the emerging feelings between the two (or three, if you include Dude) of them that I became more invested in these two families. We saw the growth in both as they came to realize that life is filled with many surprises and that one cannot assume they know those closest to them. One only truly knows someone else to the extent that they share themselves with you.

The story provided me with many emotions throughout. I truly enjoyed the interactions (and where they lead) between Hannah and Simon…and Dude . The unraveling of the lives of the grandfathers was emotional. A truly enjoyable read, one which I highly recommend. Additionally, there were many chuckle worthy moments with Dude in the picture, as well as a romance/new friendship for Dude.

As another reviewer stated “This is not just a light summer romance. It is a heartfelt reflection on family, second chances, and the bravery it takes to choose love over fear. “

A different genre than Jenn McKinlay’s usual cozy mysteries that I have read previously – but a great read! Note that my review is short on specifics as I believe that each reader should discover this gem of a story for themselves. So go forth and read for yourself…and enjoy!

Immortal

Fallen Angels, Book #6

By J.R. Ward

ISBN# 9780451241160

Author’s Website:  jrward.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

Jim is now approaching the sixth round of the war that will decide the world’s fate.  He lost the last round because he was too focused on Sissy and didn’t pay enough attention to the mission.  Now the demon, Devina, is one win away from winning the entire game.

Jim is determined to win this time, even if it means ignoring Sissy altogether.  But when the game takes a turn and it becomes a suicide mission, he will need help from friends and enemies alike to save his soul.

This is the last book in the series, and I truly expected an epic ending.  Sadly, that’s not what I got.  This book was so bland and it truly felt like wash, rinse, and repeat.  I had a hard time finishing it because there was just nothing that interesting happening.  It felt like we had experienced it all before, except that trip into Purgatory, of course.

I typically wouldn’t like cramming the last two rounds of the competition into one book, but I’m just glad to wrap this series up once and for all.  I had hoped for more from this book, but I’m happy to finally be able to move onto something else, at this point.

The Big Kahuna

Fox and O’Hare, Book #6

By Janet & Peter Evanovich

ISBN# 9780525536642

Author’s Website: evanovich.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

Kate’s boss has had it with the exorbitant expenses she and Nick rack up on their cases.  So, he has added a third member to their team.  Kate’s former obnoxious cube neighbor, Cosmo Uno.  Always ready with his forms, he will surely help keep expenses down.  Maybe her boss underestimates Nick’s charms and tactics to get his way.

Jessup has also put them on a case that he doesn’t feel is really their expertise and one that should stay pretty simple and cheap.  A billionaire has gone missing, and the new trio is on the case.  However, the case isn’t as cut and dried as Jessup had hoped.  Someone has been killing CEO billionaires from the Silicon Valley tech companies and now the Big Kahuna needs to be found before it’s too late.

This is the first installment of the series without Lee Goldberg co-authoring so I was curious if the change would be noticeable.  I would say that it probably is.  This book was co-written with Janet’s son, Peter.  I found Nick was even funnier than usual, in the beginning, but kind of waned as the book went on. And, he seems quite intent to get into Kate’s pants, which I don’t remember being so obvious in the past.  Granted, they finally did hook-up at the end of the last book, so maybe it is to be expected, at least a little.   But he’s already been there, so he shouldn’t need to try so hard.  The storyline itself didn’t seem like the usual case for this duo (now trio).  I missed Nick’s big elaborate cons and found this book lacking because of it.  I got bored with their case and wanted to see Nick’s usual flair.

There always seems to be a bit of disconnect with these books though.  The way the characters were acting, it seemed like Kate and Nick never hooked up.  Also, as many times as Nick’s cover stories have included a fake engagement, how can Kate still act surprised when he pulls out a ring and throws her into another fake relationship?  As many times as it happens, maybe he just wants it to be real….

I do think Cosmo added a lot of humor to the book, adding another zany character to the mix.  However, he did not seem to help at all where the expenses are concerned.  So, I’m curious if he will still be part of the team going forward.

The book overall was kind of mid for me and didn’t really feel like it belonged in this series.  Lee Goldberg’s absence was definitely felt.  The characters were still good though, always fun and crazy.  We will have another co-writer change for the next book, The Bounty.  So, we will see how that goes.  It looks like that will be the final book in the series (maybe a sign that the co-author experiment failed again), which makes me sad. Hopefully we’ll get back to a normal case for Kate and Nick where they can show off their talents.  And, maybe get a romantic resolution as well …. One hopes anyway.

The Killing Time

Ali Dawson #2

By Elly Griffiths

ISBN: 9780593834619

Author’s website: ellygriffiths.co.uk/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

Summary

The second mystery following Ali Dawson, the brilliant time-traveling detective, on her newest foray into Victorian London

Detective Ali Dawson leads a unit that investigates cases so cold her team must travel back in time to solve them. But ever since their technical expert, Jones, got stuck in Victorian London, Ali and her team have been forbidden from time travel.

At a loss, Ali dives into a present-day case – an apparent suicide of a young man who fell to his death from a high building. Ali believes the death is linked to a bad-news psychic medium, Barry Power, who convinced the boy he could fly. Suspicious, Ali attends one of Power’s shows, where he claims to be in contact with none other than Jones.

Minor trouble closer to home inspires Ali to sneak back in time just long enough to prevent misfortune. Her plan backfires, and she finds herself once again in Victorian London, where she reencounters Jones, as well as the darkly mysterious Cain Templeton, with whom Ali has unfinished business from her previous visit to the nineteenth century . . .

When she spies Barry Power lurking in the past, Ali knows she’s onto something. But with a potential murderer operating in multiple centuries, how on earth is she supposed to protect everyone at risk?

It’s a different time. It’s a dangerous time. It’s the killing time.

Review

The Killing Time starts a year after the events of the Frozen People. Ali Dawson is now the Detective Inspector of the team after the death of their colleague Geoff. The department of Cold Cases has currently gone dormant after last year’s events and the fact that Dr Jones is lost in the 1850s. In addition, Ali’s new boss has banned any further time travel and is having them help with mundane cases.

Ali still feels the phantoms of her time being stuck in 1850 and all the people she met there, specifically Cain Templeton, the man who she seems to have a relationship with later on in the 1850s. After taking a new case, the team learns that a medium, Barry Power, seems to be channeling a Victorian London mesmerizer and during a performance attended by Ali and Dina, Barry tells them that a woman called Serafina is contacting him from the afterlife.

The name of Serafina is Dr. Jones’ real name, which makes the team question if Barry Powers is actually a medium or if he might be a time traveler. If so, this could be their answer to getting Dr. Jones back.

I like reading Ali’s POV during this book, not just the time travel parts, but also about the changes to her personal life. I do like Finn, Ali’s son. I was a little disappointed we didn’t get a lot from him this time, but it did seem he was busy in the background. Ali’s romantic life is almost none existent, even though there was the museum curator, it seems that Ali’s heart is set for Cain Templeton in the past. I wonder how that will play out later.

This time, the case is a bit strange. While all the evidence points that Barry Power didn’t have anything to do with the young man’s death, as a reader I still didn’t trust Barry. Given what we have learned from time traveling, nothing can be trusted and a medium even less. What is even worse is that Ali gets even more involved in the case, when her second husband is murdered.

I liked the fact that we got to know what happened to Serafina after she rescued John. So far she has made herself wealthy and a comfortable life in 1850’s London. While we don’t have a clear resolution of her story in this book, I’m starting to get an idea of what might happen to her and what her decision will cause.

Most of all, I liked that in the Killing Time, we get more POV of the other members of the team. Dina and John get sub stories in the background, and we get to know them a bit more. It was nice reading their parts. I do mistrust anyone outside of the team, but I hope they all get their happy ending at the end.

Will there be more to this series? I hope there is as I want to see Ali travel again to the past and even see if Dina gets the chance to travel herself. But most of all, I want to know what the deal with those damn chairs is, what their history is and how they work.

A Fall to Remember

Half Moon Bay #1

By Ellie Alexander     

ISBN: 9781837006144

Website: elliealexander.co

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

Miranda Brown never meant to become famous. She just wanted a quiet vacation―a rare break from running The Green Grocer, the cozy market that’s been the heart of Half Moon Bay, California, for three generations. But when her spectacularly terrible travel photos go viral, Miranda becomes an unlikely internet sensation.

Now a major travel company wants her to cover her hometown’s beloved Fall Harvest Festival, sending the charming (and undeniably handsome) Jim Cole to help capture her authentic, imperfect magic on camera.

As golden leaves fall and the scent of apple cider fills the air, Miranda finds that being yourself is harder than it looks―especially when she’s falling for Jim. But when she learns his job depends on this campaign’s success, she must decide: are his feelings real, or is she just part of his marketing plan? (Goodreads)

Review:

A Fall to Remember is the first book in the new Half Moon Bay series by Ellie Alexander. I was cautious in reading a new series that was not a cozy mystery as this genre is a departure from two of my favorite series by this author. But it does a reader to stretch themselves upon occasion .

Miranda Brown, is quickly approaching 50 years of age, has decided to take a small amount of time for herself on a wee bit of a vacation to Catalina Island (a three-day excursion). During the vacation she takes some truly horrible pictures (a photographer she is not!) and shares with her son Pete and niece Elise. Pete and Elise post them on social media and surprisingly, they catch the eye of a travel company. Miranda agrees to work with the travel company’s employees Jim and Shelby. What ensues is some truly laugh out loud moments.

The book did require some getting used to in that the story is told through a number of different perspectives – Miranda, Pete, Jim and Shelby. We got to experience their take on the events as they occurred and how they felt at the moment. Once I was comfortable with this – I was fully invested (though if truth be told – I did write out the characters and their relationships to each other through a diagram – something I do not do very often!

I found the small town vibe really engaging, it felt as if I was a neighbour in Half Moon Bay. As Miranda interacts with Jim and Shelby to get perfect shots for the travel company, we are also taken through the beginning of a romance between Jim and Miranda. The ups and downs, misunderstandings and clarifications abound among all the players in the book and kept this reader on her reading toes!

A favorite quote of mine – whimsical and totally encompassed Miranda’s mindset at the time – she is reflecting and these are her thoughts (and I could so relate ):

“It wasn’t like she was expecting the skies to part and a shaft of light to shine down on her from the heavens, illuminating the way forward. Okay, well, yeah, technically that would have been cool.”

It was a great read in anticipation of the coming fall. And who doesn’t like a well crafted rom-com? Did this heart of mine good!

Happy to report that I quite enjoyed this first book in a new series by Ms. Alexander. I shall wait with baited breath for the next book in this new series, while continuing to read her other titles, of course!

Title: Bell, Book and Corpses

Series: A Nick and Nora Mystery

By:  T.C. LoTempio

ISBN: 9781960511829 (ISBN10: 1960511823)

Website: https://www.tclotempio.net/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

Waincroft Manor has long been tied to rumors of witchcraft and fatal curses, and to Nora Charles, that makes it the perfect place for a Halloween fundraiser. But her first trip to the deserted old mansion turns out to be truly ghoulish when she discovers a dead body. What’s more, the corpse is laid out in a coffin—with two bite marks on its neck. Then the autopsy comes back showing that the body was drained of blood, and there’s no stopping the local gossips from whispering the word vampire to anyone who will listen.

Determined to dispel the rumors and save the fundraiser, Nora sets out to prove the murderer was quite human after all. Sifting through the clues, she learns of a bitter family rivalry that spans generations, and a more recent conflict that may point to the motive for the murder. And when Nick spells out a clue that proves to be the missing piece of the puzzle, Nora knows she’ll have to watch her back—because there’s a killer out there who wants to keep some secrets buried, and they’ll happily bury Nora right along with them . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

In my limited experience with author T.C LoTempio, I have always enjoyed her storytelling. Of course, since all that I have read have cat’s being a big part of the sleuthing (and I am a big fan of cat’s), it is no wonder I have enjoyed the antics of these unsung hero’s in LoTempio’s cozy mysteries. Hile entering this series in book 7 is maybe not the wisest of choices, I was able to keep up with the sleuthing duo. In fact, it was such a good read, I am planning on going back to the beginning and starting there.

Bell, Book and Corpses is another Nick and Nora Mystery with Nick (a tuxedo cat) leading Nora to a body. The story begins with a Halloween fundraiser scheduled in a “Haunted House” (the old Waincroft Manor). Now if that is not ominous – I don’t know what is . However, the planning for the fundraiser does not proceed smoothly due to the body. Who is the deceased and more importantly – how and why were they located in a coffin in the Manor with what looked like a vampire bite? And more importantly – can the fundraiser proceed and will anyone show up??? Nora is determined to figure out the who and why as a friend of hers is accused of the murder – and she knows that her friend did not do it!

So Nora and Nick work through the myriad of clues with the help of their friends to find the actual killer and save the fundraiser . But it was not without risk as the real killer did not want to get caught and was not above committing yet another murder or two (so watch out Nora and Nick). I enjoyed the twists and turns, which kept me guessing to the very end. I won’t reveal anything further regarding the murder and its resolution as I think each reader should enjoy the journey for themselves. What I will say though is that there were numerous “red herrings” and the story telling was good, which kept me engaged.

I must say that Nick is one of my favourite characters! I love how he communicates with Nora through scrabble squares. It seems that Nick tends to be one step ahead of Nora. Oh my…. And this will undoubtedly drive me to go back and read the first six books in the series.

As with all cozy mysteries, the “whodunit” is revealed in the end and I am happy to say – I was stumped until then as well. Just the way I like my cozy mysteries

I do love the cover art…Nick all dressed for the occasion with a red cape, very handsome tuxedo cat I must say.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, as well as a fan of cats – then this sleuthing duo might be just up your alley. Pick up Bell, Book and Corpses, pull up a comfy chair and read the night (or day) away.

The Bridegroom

Stone Creek, Book #5

By Linda Lael Miller

ISBN# 9780373773886

Author’s Website:  https://lindalaelmiller.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

It’s been ten years since the events in A Wanted Man, when we met teenage Gideon.  Now he’s been through college and has grown into a man, even if his brothers do still see him as a kid.  

And, his latest job is bringing him back to Stone Creek.  The task is simple, take on a job as one of the miners, befriend them, and convince them not to go on strike.  The owners of the mine are paying him big bucks to keep the workers … well… working.  Once the miners realize what he has done, he won’t be very popular so he won’t be staying in Stone Creek.

However, Gideon never expected to receive not just a letter on his way to Stone Creek, but the letter.  The letter he wrote and gave to eight-year-old Lydia when she went to live with her aunt.  The one he told her to send if she were ever in trouble.  It’s a missive that he can’t ignore.

Lydia’s aunt has passed, and she lives in her home with her remaining elderly aunts and the housekeeper.  However, they’re about to lose everything, unless she goes through with the wedding to the banker, Mr. Fitch, that Lydia doesn’t like all that much.

Gideon shows up just in time to crash the wedding and steal the bride!

However, the scorned bridegroom is not taking this sitting down, and the only way that Gideon is going to avoid jail time, is if he marries the bride himself!  He is more than willing to marry Lydia.  But he can never be the husband she deserves, not when he will soon have to flee Stone Creek for good.

I absolutely loved seeing Gideon and Lydia again.  I figured they’d end up together eventually, although I figured this book would be toward the end of the series, after all the other Yarbros got married off.  I loved this couple just as much in this book as I did back in A Wanted Man.

Gideon was obviously attracted to Lydia now that she’s all grown-up.  However, he was trying to keep his distance from her emotionally knowing that he’d have to leave her soon.  But when he finally gave in it was both sweet and explosive.  I truly enjoyed watching Gideon grow up before my eyes and become the man he was meant to be.

I really loved this installment of the series.  I found it had a bit more humor than I remember the previous books having.  I guess that’s what you get when you have a book with a carefree rake, like Gideon!  And, the aunts too … they were a hoot.  This book was one that made me really quite glad that I started and continued the series.  I’m only sad that Gideon & Lydia’s story is over now, except as side characters in the remainder of the series.

Confessions of an Amateur Sleuth

Bainbridge Island Mystery #2

By Lynn Cahoon

ISBN 9781496752123

Author’s website: lynncahoon.com

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

Bainbridge Island bookseller, aspiring author, and amateur sleuth Meg (no relation to Bill) Gates investigates the murder of a crabby food critic in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s latest Pacific Northwest-set mystery for fans of Kate Carlisle, Lorna Barrett, Jenn McKinlay, and Ellery Adams.

Twenty-something bookseller and sleuth Meg Gates has a confession: solving crimes may be easier than writing. She’s been working on a guide to becoming a detective—but she’s her own worst critic. She needs a how-to in order to write her how-to!

At the Bainbridge Island writers’ group, she meets freelance food critic Lee Anderson, who invites her to join him for dinner at the Local Crab so he won’t be suspected of reviewing the place. Lee is a bit of a crab himself and intends to do a hatchet job on the eatery.

Instead, someone does a job on the critic—he’s found dead by the marina. Now Bainbridge’s culinary elite are on the suspect list.

With help from her beau, Dalton, and the Mystery Crew at Island Books, Meg dons her sleuthing cap to solve the mystery du jour—before another murder is served cold . . . (from Goodreads)

Review:

This is a great second offering in its series, with the perfect blend of suspense, action, and wit. Bainbridge Island provided a beautiful setting! I enjoyed meeting Meg, her family, and friends. It had been less than a year since Meg returned to the island, and she was building a new life after breaking up with her cheating fiancé in Seattle.

Meg worked part time for Lilly, a local, best-selling author, and part time for her mother at her bookstore, Island Books. One of Meg’s goals was to write a non-fiction “how-to” guidebook about sleuthing. She attended a local writer’s group on the island. An advantage of the group was hearing speakers share information on various aspects of what a first-time author might consider, including writing, publishing, and marketing.

Meg arrived late to the group one evening, and sat in the back with a man she had not yet met. Lee was a free-lance food critic. They made plans for her to meet him the next evening at the Local Crab, where they would dine and he’d review the restaurant. Nobody would guess the real purpose of his visit if someone was with him. Meg and her boyfriend, Dalton, knew the chef there, Emmett, and was confident Lee would love it there. She looked forward to learning more about writing from him.

Meg told Dalton about dinner with someone from her class, and later gave him details. The experience was terrible. Lee planned certain “tests” to see how well the staff would respond, from their late arrival to other customer service challenges – one plate was too hot, one was too cold, and the like. Meg finally had enough, had several unkind words for Lee, and left.

The next evening, Dalton and Meg went to dinner in Seattle. Meg saw her mother at the restaurant – at a table with a man she had never seen before! Her mother had not dated since her parents divorced. Her mom texted her that they’d talk later. Meg and Dalton returned on the ferry to see police officers all over its parking area.

A man was found in his car, and was thought to have been asleep. He was dead, however, possibly by suicide. Later, his death was determined a homicide. And it was Lee! Uncle Troy, aka Police Chief Miller, wanted to know why she was in the Local Crab with him one night, stormed out on him, and the next night he was dead.

Meg had helped with one previous homicide on Bainbridge Island, that of her boss, Lilly’s, agent. This time, Uncle Troy didn’t want her involved so that she wouldn’t get hurt by a person desperate enough to have killed at least once.

Meg’s photo was in the news after marching away from Lee and out of the restaurant, so some thought her to be a suspect. Lee had left Meg a costly bracelet and note at the restaurant further linking them. Other suspects included the chefs for whom he left bad reviews, which was almost every chef on Bainbridge Island.

Meg couldn’t let it go. She, with either Dalton or best friend Natasha, visited people who might answer her questions rather than those by a cop. She found minimal background information at the college they both attended at different times. Meg shared what she learned with Dalton, Natasha, and Troy. Meg’s attention was split between the murder, her jobs, her mom, writing, seeing Dalton, studying for her college classes, even playing on a pickleball league. Whew! She committed to write for thirty minutes each day, and her book progressed. I loved the chapter names that correlated with the contents of each, as well as her current experiences.

The characters’ personalities were revealed through their conversations and behaviors. Written in first person, I got to know and like Meg quickly, then Dalton, Natasha, Meg’s mom, and others through their interactions with her. I liked Meg, Dalton, and Natasha the best, and look forward to seeing more of them and several others in the future.

There were excellent plot twists, often adding or eliminating suspects. Lee was not well-liked, but they could find no logical motive for his murder. Or for the special bracelet he bought for her. The killer was cleverly disguised to misrepresent their connection to Lee. The ending was excellent and more than satisfactory! I highly recommend this cozy mystery, and look forward to the next one!

Eight Enchanting Elixirs

Kitchen Witch Mysteries

By Lynn Cahoon        

ISBN: 1496752856

Website: lynncahoon.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

Mia’s grandmother is feeling stress about an ex who’s returned . . . from the dead. Mia’s boyfriend is confined to his home for six weeks in a desperate attempt to get his fluffy Maltese pup, Cerby, trained as a hellhound. And Mia herself is being hassled by the coven, which is suddenly questioning the validity of her witch credentials!

Suspected of cheating on her exam, Mia is pressured to retake it. When she not only passes but moves up a level, national coven rep Suzanne Parker is furious. Parker, a relative of a witch hanged in Salem, threatens Mia with a witch’s worst nightmare. When she’s found dead the very next day, the coven suspects kitchen witch’s potions contained an extra, very lethal ingredient.

With all this toil and trouble, Mia has no choice but to prove that she’s a good witch—in every sense of the word . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

Eight Enchanting Elixirs is the eighth book of Lynn Cahoon’s in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series. This is the fifth book in the series that I have read, having previously read 3 novellas’ and a full length novel in this series. It may well be that as I have not read any of the full length novels in this series from the beginning (only the book previous to this one – Seven Secret Spellcasters) that I am not quite jelling with this series? Don’t get me wrong – this book is easy to read and enjoyable, but really knowing the backstory of the characters I think would go a long way to enhance my enjoyment of the story. Or perhaps if the story had begun with a bit more backstory on the characters…

In Eight Enchanting Elixirs Mia (the main protagonist / kitchen witch) is being threatened and she is therefore mostly confined to her home. Mia’s recent results for her testing is at a level 3 and this causes some coven members to make a fuss and suggest that Mia cheated? So…the coven brings in another tester. This witch is tough (with a capital “T” I might add) and while Mia is exhausted beyond belief after this round of testing – she scores a level 5! And then the tester is found dead at a hiking trail (from hypothermia – or so it is believed). To vindicate Mia’s good scores, she takes it upon herself to work at confirming cause of death for Suzanne Parker. Also creating challenges for a harmonious existence is the fact that Trent (Mia’s boyfriend) is confined to his home for six weeks as he is getting his fluffy Maltese pup, Cerby, trained as a hellhound. Along with him is the police chief’s wife and daughter – training their hellhound as well.

I found once I got into the story it did seem to flow and was an enjoyable read. Mia and her growth was evident. As well – I could really tell that all she really wanted to achieve was to be a kitchen witch. After all, her passion is in the kitchen!

Another redeeming quality is the love and support that is evidenced in Mia’s family. They are inclusive in the broader sense of family – and that is a feel good emotion that shone through while reading the story.

As to be expected, any mystery surrounding the death of Suzanne Parker is solved by Mia and her cohorts … after all – that is the name of the game with these witchy cozy mysteries. I am not inclined to delve further as I do not want to impede any future reader’s enjoyment of the mystery and the solving of said mystery within

All in all – a relaxing but engaging read. I may continue with the series, but not unless I start from the beginning of the series as I think that would be to the benefit of my reading pleasure with respect to Mia and her world.

The Wolf King

The Wolf King, Book #1

By Lauren Palphreyman

ISBN# 9798853931916

Author’s Website: laurenpalphreyman.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

There is a war that has been raging for years between the humans and the werewolves, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Aurora is the human princess of the Southlands.  And, her father has brought her to Sebastian’s castle as they are to soon be wed.  It is not a relationship of love, but for political gain for her father, the king.  Her father does not love her, but has trained her to be the perfect living doll, always do what is expected and to always reflect well on him.

Aurora’s betrothed has a kennel of captured Werewolves that he has fight for his entertainment.  And, he has put some in the ring for them to watch.  However, Aurora cannot stay quiet when she sees the big alpha against a young boy.  It’s an unfair fight and the boy is about to be slaughtered by the big beast.  Sebastian agrees to let the boy live as a wedding gift to her.  However, her display of compassion embarrasses her father and angers her husband-to-be.

That night it becomes clear that the wolves were not bested by Sebastian’s men. They had allowed themselves to be taken in an orchestrated plot against the humans.  And, before they leave the alpha comes and takes the princess with him.

Aurora has been saved from a marriage to a horrible man, but she is now at the mercy of her enemies.  They want to use her to get back a sacred relic that is believed to have the power to allow them to shift at any time; instead of only at the full moon.  Can Aurora use the situation to gain knowledge of the wolves and save herself from the marriage her father arranged?  Or will she die at her enemies’ hands? And, what happens when she realizes the wolves aren’t as horrible as she had always believed?  And, one wolf in particular is awakening a hunger she never felt before.  Will he be able to keep his promise to protect her or will it go to crap before their very eyes?

I found this story to be interesting.  The humans were quite horrible in this book and it made you realize that the supposed brutes were not the most savage in this tale.  Sebastian was an awful person, and he knew that no matter what he said or did that his new bride would have to endure it.

I enjoyed Callum.  For being part of such a savage race, he showed more respect and tenderness than anyone from Aurora’s own life or family.  It’s easy to see why she started to grow feelings for the big oaf.  The story and Callum, in particular, did have a bit of a Scottish Outlander vibe.

There were a lot of politics and games being played among the wolves as well.  And a certain dark wolf that seemed to know way too much about Aurora and the Southlanders.  Blake did not keep it a secret that he was playing a game and encouraged Aurora to play along with him.  Although he would not divulge, what the game was or what the rules entailed.  He was definitely the most intriguing character in the novel and was clearly the puppet master of everyone involved. Now that his game has been outlined for us, I’m interested to know how it all plays out.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book.  I felt it did drag in places and could probably have been trimmed down to avoid some of that.  Otherwise, I really have no complaints about this novel.  It was an enjoyable read and a story that is a bit different than others I have read.

Dreidels and Dead Ends

Bad Hair Day #19

By Nancy J. Cohen     

ISBN: 9781952886409 

Website: nancyjcohen.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

A daring holiday heist at the local history museum sends hairstylist Marla Vail on her most tangled case yet.

When salon owner Marla Vail agrees to speak at the local history museum’s gala opening for a new exhibit, she expects applause—not a catastrophe. But shortly after she takes the stage, a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, leaving behind an empty display case and a badly injured security guard.

Marla’s friend, museum curator Becky Forest, begs for her help in recovering the prized heirloom before the mayor uses this scandal as an excuse to cut their funding. To make matters worse, the antique hairbrush comes with a curse, and suddenly bad luck is spreading through town faster than a botched dye job. As Hanukkah festivities begin, Marla would rather be lighting candles than chasing clues, but with Becky’s job at stake, she takes on the case.

Her trail leads to a knot of suspects including the hairbrush’s owner, his greedy cousin, shifty museum staff, and a reclusive collector of mystical antiquities. Instead of enjoying menorah lights and latkes, Marla discovers murder, lies, and larceny. She’ll need sharp wits and a holiday miracle to save the museum and to keep the truth from being brushed aside. (Goodreads)

Review:

Dreidels and Dead Ends (while book #19 in the series) is the fifth book in series that I have read and I can honestly say that I am finding the books are getting better and better as the series goes on. I find that the main protagonist, Marla, finally has depth. Maybe this is because she has settled nicely into her married life with Dalton and that of a mother of a toddler and a soon to be new baby.

In this edition of the Bad Hair Day series we find Marla as the guest speaker at a gala for a new exhibit at the local history museum. The exhibit is a diamond-studded antique hairbrush – right up Marla’s alley (as she is a hairdresser after all). Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to begin the holiday season while waiting for the arrival of Marla and Dalton’s baby. Now what is new is that Dalton is newly retired from the police force… surprise! During the gala, the hairbrush is stolen. The curator at the museum, Becky Forest, asks Marla for help locating the stolen hairbrush, especially as this theft may well be the final straw for the museum to stay viable as the town mayor would like nothing better than to shut the museum down. And what makes this extra special – the hairbrush is believed to be cursed!

We are led through Marla’s process of tracking down leads and finding new ones along the way to wade through. So many suspects with so little leads. In this story, I quite enjoyed how Marla works together with Dalton now that he does not have the restraints of being a police officer. To me this pairing worked very well with this new dynamic. While they usually worked together, there were times they went off on their own… and the inner dialogue that Marla had added to the sleuthing

As per usual with cozy mysteries, the ‘whodunit’ was cleverly hidden until the very end (well – at least for me) and that is just the way I like my cozy mysteries. Was the brush recovered? A question that is answered when you read the book

One of the aspects that I quite enjoy and found interesting is how the author incorporates Jewish customs and traditions and Christmas traditions into her stories. Love getting a bit of an education while reading for pleasure.

If you like cozy mysteries, then I suggest adding Dreidels and Dead Ends to your TBR (to be read) pile. The writing of Ms. Cohen will not disappoint.

Jack

For the Love of a Good Woman, Book #1

By Giulia Lagomarsino

ISBN# 9798223873242

Author’s Website: giulialagomarsinoauthor.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

*Beware of Spoilers*

Harper was having the worst luck.  She ran out in her skimpy pjs to go feed her friend’s cat, while Anna was out-of-town.  Her car broke down on the side of the road and it was pouring down rain.  She decided to walk, but she tripped in a hole disguised as a mud puddle and sprained her ankle.  While sitting in the mud puddle, in pain, the most gorgeous man she ever met came over to see if she needed help.  Jack wasted no time in putting her his truck, stopping off at the pharmacy for supplies, then to Anna’s and eventually taking Harper home.

Jack and Harper hit it off right away and they run fast and furious into a new relationship.  But will the relationship fizzle out as quickly as it began?

I disliked these characters from the very beginning.  They were too immature and everything moved way too fast to be believable.  Harper has zero self-preservation skills.  She’s a serial killer victim waiting to happen.  Jack is a complete stranger and she allows him to put her in his vehicle and then shows him where both her friend and she live.  And, if that wasn’t bad enough, she does the same thing with another guy later in the book.  And, don’t even get me started on the fact that they were grinding on each other in his truck moments after they met.

Jack was selfish beyond belief.  He wanted what he wanted and nothing else really mattered.  They had barely been dating when he started throwing a fit about having her move in with him.  She was worried about if things didn’t work out.  He makes a big scene and when they’re out with his friends and they started giving her a hard time.  And, Jack’s thoughts are I’m not going to help her because she deserves this!?! What the actual fuck?  She wants to decorate for Christmas.  And, instead of telling her why the holiday is so hard for him, he storms off like a big baby and is gone for hours.  Even their breakup is due to his selfishness.

Everything went way too fast.  Their relationship, the moving in together, the breakup.  They both just needed to be by themselves.  Nobody deserves to be saddled with either one of them.  Then, this book just ended suddenly… there was no peak into the future to see their happily ever after.  Just a big moment happened, and Harper was being immature again during that and then the book was over.

This novel had no redeeming qualities for me.  The writing was as immature as the characters just too fast, superficial, and unbelievable.  And, I actually paid for this book, so that was disappointing.  This is a beginning of several connected books, with a spin-off series or two so I really hope that the writing improved over time.  However, I’m unlikely to continue with it.

Two Purloined Pillows

Nimble Needle #2

By Allie Pleiter

ISBN 9781496752031

Author’s website: alliepleiter.com

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

When 30-something graphic artist Shelby Phillips reluctantly returned to her small hometown outside Asheville, North Carolina to manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, she thought it was temporary. But getting entangled in murder investigations has a timeline of its own…

It’s been a little over a year since Shelby started managing Nina’s Nimble Needle following her office-romance and career implosion, and Shelby’s mom has finally handed her the reins—technically, at least. Next, Shelby is excited to oversee two well-known needlepoint designers who will be participating in the town’s first two-week-long arts festival . . .

Laura Bitters and Paul Bardo have each stitched up one-of-a-kind pillows that should be big wins for the Nimble Needle at the festival’s auction . . . until the pillows vanish amid a sudden string of shoplifting incidents.

To add to the knot in Shelby’s stomach, Laura proves highly anxious, while Paul is an egomaniac who believes Laura has been stealing his customers for years. But things go from bad to tragic when Laura behaves oddly at the auction dinner, then collapses—dead.

Soon after, Shelby makes a shocking discovery in Laura’s room at the local inn. Then tests reveal that Laura was poisoned. Resolved to piece together the truth, despite the police chief’s determination to keep her on the fringes, Shelby rallies her personal team, including her sister, Jessica, her friend Deb, and Jake, her potentially more than a friend. As an extra twist, a magazine reporter arrives with unsettling—yet useful—dirt that includes Laura and Paul.

What unravels is a skein of suspects, long-held resentment, bitter jealousy, and betrayal, from which Shelby will have to pull the one crucial thread tied to the killer: a murder-worthy motive . . . (from Goodreads)

Review:

Shelby’s parents returned to Gwen Lake, North Carolina for the annual Gwen Lakes Arts Festival. It has been almost a year since her mom, Nina, has turned over management of Nina’s Nimble Needle, to Shelby to manage. It is also the first year Shelby will be in charge of their part of the festival. Nina gave Shelby last minute warnings about their key – and fiercely rival –  guests.

The NYAGS – Not Your Average Grannies – were at the shop most days with their current works in progress, enjoying the local news and gossip. The older ladies were there, looking forward to meeting the special guests.

The shop’s key guests are two famous, rival needlepoint canvas artists. Paul and Laura have many long-time fans who would pay almost any price for their canvases, especially original, hand-painted ones. Laura and Paul are each donating a spectacularly designed pillow for this year’s auction. Each artist designed and painted a canvas especially for their town, then personally stitched them. Their fans are eager to see and bid on the pillows. Proceeds of the auctions would support local arts programs.

Paul came into the shop and delivered many new canvases. He was angry that Shelby, not Nina, would be handling him this year. The mayor brought Laura in. Neither designer was happy to see the other. Gwen Lakes’ “power couple”, Mayor Rose and her husband, Police Chief Tallen were disturbed to discover that Laura’s and Paul’s amazing pillows had been stolen from the Town Hall, where they had been displayed. They had to be located before the auction on opening night!

The pillows were not found, so Shelby put together a special kit from each artist. Shelby met Laura at the ball. Laura was more anxious than usual and appeared to be ill. Shelby noticed Laura slurring her words just before she collapsed. A nearby doctor tried to help, but could not. Laura had passed away amidst the crowd.

Afterwards, Shelby and her best friend Deb went to Laura’s room, where they found a hidden treasure trove of goodies, including an assortment of trinkets and items that might have come from local stores. Chief Tallen, unhappy the friends had gone into her room, took charge of it. Preliminary tests showed that Laura had ingested poison from belladonna berries, tiny fruit of a highly toxic plant that grew wild in the area. It had been added to a smoothie that an unknown person brought her.

Shelby began to learn more about Laura to help find who killed her. Joanne, a writer for her local paper and a freelance reporter for arts events, knew both Laura and Paul. She shared what she knew about them with Shelby. Paul was one of the suspects due to their combative history. There were only a couple other suspects.

I was very pleased with the variety of characters! All were defined best through their conversations and behaviors. Most are engaging, except for Paul and, at times, Cole, a personable young artist who harbored bitterness against Laura. I especially liked Shelby, who loves what she does and keeps an open mind, eager to learn from and help others. Deb, her best friend, is also a delight, far happier with her coffee shop than in her former career as a chemist! I enjoyed meeting Jake, and hope that Shelby sees more of him!

Several wannabe sleuths wanted to “help” Shelby, and she graciously found harmless ways they could. The NYAGs wanted to know the progress, which she couldn’t share. It seemed that the festival would end and the tourists and artists would leave without the killer being caught. While it was preferable to think the killer might leave, yet they wanted justice for Laura. And then…I was very satisfied and happy with the ending! I highly recommend this cozy mystery to those who enjoy various needlecrafts, town festivals, and challenging investigations.

A Murder at the Mansion

Novel Detectives Mystery

By Ellie Alexander     

ISBN: 9781837003143 

Website: www.elliealexander.co

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

 In the charming town of Redwood Grove, even the grandest estates have something to hide…

When reclusive heiress Bernadette Garst vanishes from her sprawling mansion, bookshop owner and investigator Annie Murray is summoned to the scene.

Arriving at the legendary Garst property, Annie and her partner Fletcher discover a household riddled with secrets, bitter family rivalries, and suspicious staff members. When Bernadette’s lawyer also goes missing, it’s clear the case is escalating into something far more dangerous.

With her keen eye for detail and a little help from her friends, Annie must piece together the clues hidden within the opulent estate grounds. Can she solve the puzzle before it’s too late? (Goodreads)

Review:

The third book in the, A Murder at the Mansion, by Ellie Alexander is another cozy mystery that has my highest praise. Novel Detectives Mystery series Now the reason for this is that the storytelling was very good and the mystery in and of itself was very good. Pause here on the praise… I did figure out ‘whodunit’ quite early on but since the writing was so good – I did have to wait until the end of the story to have my theory 100% affirmed. Luckily for me the storytelling, many characters in the story and the animals provided more than ample impetus for me to finish the book in record time. The read is like coming home as you know what expect – a cozy mystery with a number of suspects along with the cast of recurring characters involved in solving the mystery – with Annie and Fletcher taking the lead in that department.

What starts out as a missing persons case for the matriarch of the Garst family, Bernadette Garst quickly turned into a murder case as the body of Ms. Garst’s lawyer, Gabe Bowers is discovered in the boat house. So who murdered Gabe? And where is Bernadette? Annie has a number of potential suspects (mostly family members of the Garst clan) to sift through with respect to the murder. But with such an expansive acreage – it seems like a daunting task to locate Bernadette – and time is of the essence given her age!

I noted that this installment of the series is very skimpy on progressing the storyline of Hal’s origins and his possible connection to Agatha Christie. I do hope this picks up a wee bit in the next book of the series. In fact, not really much character development nor relationship development in this book either. Here is hoping that the next book will add more depth to the various characters of Redwood Grove.

Never fear – the mystery of ‘whodunit’ is all is wrapped up in a neat little package in the end (which is one reason I did not give this read 5 stars – too neat!). Though there a couple of twists and turns that did keep me guessing and there is a surprise or two at the end .

I shall patiently await the next installment (book #4) of Novel Detectives Mystery series, A Murder at Midnight, to see where Hal’s storyline goes. I shall even wait with baited breath for book #5 –
A Fatal Frost!

If you enjoy feel good cozy mysteries with interesting characters, then I suggest reading this installment of the Novel Detective Mystery series! In fact – read the whole series.

Deadly Does It

Mann & Mason #2

By Abbi Waxman

ISBN 9780593816691 

Author’s website: abbiwaxman.com

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

When Natasha Mason’s AA sponsor is in deadly danger, she turns to the cranky yet brilliant Julia Mann for help, in this exciting new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of One Death at a Time.

Mason, a Gen Z adrenaline junkie, and Mann, an ex-con, ex-actress, and lawyer turned sleuth, have already solved one murder together. United by their commitment to sarcasm and general disappointment with the human race, they now face a second crime that’s way too close to home. Alexa Rousso keeps having accidents, and no one but her thinks it’s a coincidence. Could her checkered past be coming back to get her? Mason and Mann’s investigation takes them to the Bay Area, to the Central Coast, and – of course – to the hippest spots in Los Angeles. Will the Berkeley boho vibe convert Mann from vintage couture? Will the wine snobs of Ojai drive Mason to drink (or to vinicide, which isn’t even a thing)? More importantly, will they solve the mystery before the murderer’s sights settle on the detectives themselves, or will this new challenge also be their last? (from Goodreads)

Review:

Five years sober and in her twenties, Mason met former actress Julia Mann at an AA meeting. The former actress was in prison for a murder she didn’t commit when she earned her degree and became an attorney. She got sober there, had a couple slips over the years, and immediately returned to meetings. Julia asked Mason to be her temporary sponsor.

Even with the substantial gap between their ages and their polar opposite lifestyles, they got along quite well. Neither are delicate little flowers. Julia has many skills, from being professionally adept to acting to understated elegance. Mason became her sidekick after helping Julia solve a major case, and lives in one of Julia’s guest houses.

Julia met her housekeeper and excellent chef, Claudia, when they became close friends in prison. Claudia’s boyfriend, Teddy, is a former con and a private investigator. Mason is deciding on a career and whether to return to college, and went on stakeouts with Teddy for on-the-job training to be a PI.

Mason’s mother called her from Berkeley; her father had a mild heart attack. He should recover quickly with some lifestyle changes. If Mason went to visit, it would only be for her father. Her mother and sister never understood her, and have always, only, questioned and critiqued her.

Mason’s sponsor, Alexa, had been sober for over twenty-five years and sponsored two other women. Alexa is an event planner with a huge fashion show scheduled. Mason attended to support Alexa. Several attendees were injured as a result of a mechanical “attack”, and some of her clients cancelled their events.

Jennifer is another of Alexa’s sponsees. Mason attended the grand opening of Jennifer’s third restaurant, made memorable for several people going to the hospital with food poisoning. The police could only ascertain that each person who got sick had wine from Jennifer’s new wine vendor, but none of the bottles tested positive.

Alexa and her husband Scott went to see Julia with a troubling situation. She received threatening letters with unique similarities but refused to tell the police. The threats implied that “I know what you did; you know what I did” and “I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine”. Alexa said she had no idea what she did, but she had survived a fire in a rundown warehouse, lived in and used by artists who drank, used, and/or sold drugs. Many people died that night, and it was still discussed almost thirty years later.

Mason planned a brief visit to visit her father and family. Julia joined her so they could interview people Alexa knew from the time of the fire. Julia saw how her family interacted with Mason, and Mason’s parents were thrilled to meet the star that her father once had a crush on! Mason learned what was stressing her father’s working life and discussed ways to resolve the situation. Julia and Mason tracked down and questioned Alexa’s ex-husbands, friends, a policeman, and a fire inspector before returning to LA.

A loyal friend, Mason believed what Alexa told them. Alexa sent Mason to check on her third sponsee, Iris, and found her dead of an overdose. Detectives saw an inconsistency with the needle, still in her arm, and declared it a homicide.

Alexa received another letter, “one down, two to go, then it’s your turn”. They believed “one” was Iris, and “two to go” were Alexa’s other sponsees, then Alexa herself. Julia convinced her to tell the police. They would continue to investigate for her, but the detectives needed to consider the letters when investigating Iris’s death.  Then, someone attempted to kill Mason.

The characters are three-dimensional in their actions and conversations. Most are engaging and transparent, but at least one is keeping a secret or two. I genuinely like Mason and Julia. They help others, and are a “family” that includes staff and friends. Some of Mason’s family have not gotten past her troubled teen years or addictions, but people can surprise us!

I appreciate that Abbi Waxman’s protagonists are people in recovery and fell in love with the series when reading the first in the series. For readers unfamiliar with the groups, the author explains certain aspects of twelve-step programs. She presents each person with value and dignity.

There are several twists and hair-raising U-turns, even changing the course of their investigation. It will take everything this crew has to solve the crimes before another person is murdered. I love the ending! I highly recommend this challenging mystery and the first in series!

Cold-Hearted Rake

The Ravenels, Book #1

By Lisa Kleypas

ISBN# 9780062371812

Author’s Website:  https://lisakleypas.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer

Devon Ravenel’s life is turned upside-down when his cousin is killed in a riding accident.  Theo was an earl and now Devon has inherited his earldom, and all the debt and responsibility that goes with it.  

Devon and his brother, West, live a carefree life indulging in all their vices.  And, they had no intention of changing that.  Devon’s plan was to sell off all of Theo’s property and be a landless earl.  However, that all changes when he meets Theo’s widow, Kathleen.  Kathleen is in her period of mourning, but Devon is willing to play the long game.  He’s even willing to keep his new estate that is crumbling into disrepair.  It’s all worth it, for a chance to be with her.

But all is not as it seems with Kathleen and the relationship she had with Theo.  The two had barely said their vows when Theo went off in a fit of rage to his death.

Can the dashing Devon convince the proper lady to take a ride on the wild side with him?

This is not my typical genre to read, but every once in awhile I delve into one.  It was a decent read, but it didn’t blow me away.

I enjoyed Devon and West.  Both of them took to their new responsibilities rather well.  Well, at least after Kathleen put West in his place!  The brothers seemed very fatherly with the girls as well too.  Although I’m feeling something brewing between West and Pandora.

I do wish this book hadn’t focused so much on Helen and Mr. Winterborne, even the epilogue was about them!  I found it boring and it just took away from Devon and Kathleen.  I found that Kathleen interfered way too much in that relationship too.  And, I suppose the next book will be about Helen and Rhys fixing what Kathleen broke.

I don’t know if I’ll continue this series or not, but it’s always there if I get a hankering for a historical romance.

Title: The Secret Book Society

By:  Madeline Martin

ISBN: 9781335016287 (ISBN10: 1335016287)

ASIN: 1335016287

Website: http://www.MadelineMartin.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
 
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
 
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
 
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything. (Goodreads)

Review:

The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin is a well crafted historical fiction, a genre I have recently come to appreciate. Be warned, this book is not really about books (though it is a bit) but more about the oppressed lives of the members of the secret book society.

The story follows three women who receive and accept an unusual invitation to an afternoon tea from Lady Duxbury (a widow three times over). From henceforth, their lives are entwined with periodic afternoon tea. We soon learn that each woman has a unique set of challenges with their lives. This is the late 1800’s so women are still oppressed and not seen as “persons” and are controlled by their husbands and/or fathers.   

I found that the lives and struggles of each of the women was engaging, intriguing and at times I was annoyed with the men in their lives! One woman, Eleanor Clarke, was abused by her husband and his brother. Rose Wharton is a rich young American struggling to fit into her new role as an English aristocrat’s wife. The youngest, at age 19, is Lavinia Cavendish. She is trying to find her voice. These three women join the thrice widowed Lady Duxbury in her home for afternoon tea from there, these four women turn to each other to have their individual voices heard. While life did not go always as planned, it was good to see these women do what they could for each other.

I was surprised and appalled that women were frequently being confined to an insane asylum, apparently something husbands (and fathers) did at their whim in this particular time period!

I was also enthralled with the way each woman grew and took charge of their own situations through personal growth. The following quote regarding Lady Lavinia Cavendish made me smile (because I saw how far she had come into her own life of wanting to write and expressing that to her father):

“Empowered by the hatpin fighting, awed by the séance, intrigued by the poison garden and filled with joy from the loving embrace of friendship, every one of those experiences played in Lavinia’s imagination like sunlight dancing over the water.”

What was refreshing is that the story and all the characters drew me in and would not let me go. That, for me, is a truly good sign when I have difficulty putting the book down for simple things like eating and sleeping .

I am not able to go into further details regarding the story, nor what I liked specifically about the book as I do not want to inadvertently provide any spoilers – I want the next reader of this delightful tale to discover them all on their own. The tale also included a noteworthy epilogue and author’s notes.

All I can say is that I am very glad that this book was added to our monthly bookclub list for May 2026.

Something from the Nightside

Nightside, Book #1

By Simon R. Green

ISBN# 9780441010653

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

John Taylor is a struggling private Investigator that lives in his office and can’t even pay the bills.  Then, money walks into his door in the form of Joanna Barrett.  The rich businesswoman has misplaced her teenage daughter, well the teen ran away, and she wants John to find her.  John has a gift to find lost things.  However, this lost thing has gone to where he swore, he’d never go again … the Nightside.

The Nightside is the dark underbelly of London.  It’s where all of the things that go bump in the night call home.  It’s magical, deadly and totally addicting.  John left enemies behind there, and they may just collect on old debts as he looks for the runaway teen.  The key is to get in and out as quickly as possible.  However, it quickly becomes apparent that something evil is residing in the Nightside, something unnatural even for the Nightside and it’s hiding Cathy.  And, it’s up to John to find her.  After all, it’s the only way he will get paid.  Can John find what’s missing before it’s too late?

This is one of those older books that I really didn’t know what to expect.  It’s a small and quick read though.  I found the world building of the Nightside to be quite interesting.  Having something other in the middle of a bustling city is nothing new in books though.  However, I did enjoy the way the author painted the Nightside for me.

I found the relationship between John and Joanna, if you want to call it that, to be completely unnecessary.  I really didn’t think there was much there, but in the end, he was devastated over it.

I found the ending of this book to be a bit strange, but I guess that is to be expected with a book like this. 

This was a decent read with great world-building, I just wish the story was as vivid as the world itself.

Fudge and Jury         

A Bakeshop Mystery, #5

By Ellie Alexander      

ISBN: 9781250088055 

Website: www.elliealexander.co

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

It’s almost spring in Ashland, Oregon, and the town is preparing for the Shakespeare and the annual Chocolate Festival. Business is cookin’ at Torte, and the store is expanding as Jules’ team whips up crêpes filled with mascarpone cheese and dark chocolate. Torte stands a chance of being this year’s confectionery belle of the ball! Life couldn’t be sweeter—unless murder taints the batter.

Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, makes a chocolate fountain that would put Willy Wonka to shame, and his truffles are to die for—literally? Yes, the world-renowned chocolatier has just turned up dead…right after sampling a slice of Jules’ decadent four-layer chocolate cake. Now all eyes are on Jules as she tries to find the mysterious ingredient in her own recipe. Can she sift out the truth before another contestant bites the buttercream? (Goodreads)

Review:

The fifth book in the Bakeshop Mystery series, Fudge and Jury by Ellie Alexander is yet another fine addition to this series. In this story we find Torte undergoing renovations as the store gets new ovens and a bit of a facelift in the kitchen area.

Additionally, Torte has the honour of having a featured role at the annual Chocolate Festival!  As Jules (aka Juliet) and her mom, Helen set their booth up for the festival a chocolatier, Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, is perusing near by booths to his booth, which includes Torte’s booth. After Evan samples a slice of cake at the Torte booth the man has a severe allergic reaction and dies. At first, it is thought the man died due to his nut allergy but Jules adamantly states there are no nuts in the cake and there was no cross-contamination. We shall have to see what the coroner says! Seems to me that a man with such a severe peanut allergy attending a conference with perhaps many confections and baked goods that contain nuts – why was he not carrying his EpiPen on his person? And Evan’s assistant Carter took an inordinate amount of time finding and bringing the EpiPen to Evan and by the time he had – Evan died.

And as is to be expected – Jules must find out what really happened so that Torte’s reputation is not ruined nor any of the other participants are accused of facilitating Evan’s death. Along the road to the truth, there are many red herrings to keep the story interesting and Jules sleuthing. We also got to experience the local police (The Professor – aka Doug and Thomas) working the case. So who will figure out what really happened to Evan first?

The reader also gets to read about the growing relationship between Jules and Thomas (a local policeman). Additionally – the relationship between Helen and the professor. I quite enjoy more than one love story being pursued in this series – can’t wait to see how each turns out.

My favourite quote:

“I remember my mentor in culinary school had a poster in his office with a quote from George Bernard Shaw that read: “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” It was a philosophy that I had learned watching Mom serve customers for years – a pastry with a side of love.”

As to be expected, the amateur sleuths figure out “whodunit” in a timely fashion. I am not inclined to put more of that in my review as it is for each reader to wander through the quagmire and discover for themselves who did the dead and why. But what I can say is that this is a well crafted cozy mystery that kept me guessing ‘til the end – just the way I like my cozy mysteries. With good character development (and knowing there are many, many more books in the series to read) of many of the supporting characters as well as the main characters – I feel like I will have many sleepless nights reading this series.

I must say that the cover art in all of the books in this series to date are definitely eye catching.

If cozy mysteries are your “genre” then the “A Bakeshop Mystery” series by Ellie Alexander may be right up your alley. I know it is up mine …Onwards to book #6!