Roast Mortem

 Roast Mortem is the 9th book in the Coffeehouse Mysteries set in NYC.  Clare Cosi is the now empty nester single mother who is in business with her ex and her ex mother in law while managing the Village Blend in Greenwich Village.   This makes for some interesting dynamics at times in the stories but overall it is a unique and well constructed set of characters that have logical roles and reactions in the different mysteries.   

Those who like coffee or well written mysteries will like this series.  A familiarity with NYC is a bonus for recognizing destinations and neighborhood that are parts of the stories but definitely is not a requirement to enjoy them.  

Clare is a strong woman and her intelligence and logic are well demonstrated in this book.  I appreciate the research and accuracy of the facts in firefighting and NYC history that are included in the story.  I had not read this series in 3-4 years and am happy to have started reading it again and look forward to finishing up the series. 

Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Coffee lovers will definitely enjoy this book, especially if you are at all interested in how an espresso machine works. Clare Cosi, manager of Village Blends, installs an espresso machine while tryign to solve a mystery. Through this installation and the serving of cafe drinks, there is plenty of description on how the machine and the process works. The possible pitfalls are detailed as well. For those not interested, and I admit after awhile that included me, you can just skim over those parts similar to a recipe description in cooking/baking cozy.
I enjoy this series and hadn't read it in a number of years. Now I am excited to catch up on the books I hadn't read yet. Clare is a more mature sleuth but not a senior citizen. Thus, she is a rarer amateur detective. Another pleasant difference is her civilian meddling isn't met with as much opposition as many books present. The mystery itself is well written and has quite a surprise ending on who the guilty party is.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #34
2. AtoZ   #2022AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  R
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 22 Book #1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #46
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #37
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #29
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #47
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #45
9. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- restaurant; garage
• Weapon- fire; asphyxiation
• Detectives- Clare Cosi
• Victims- Bigsby B; Jamie Noonan
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #82  Shot #1
12. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #15. With a Two Word Title

Artificial Condition

 This is the 2nd novella in the Murderbot Diaries Series by Martha Wells.   I am not normally a science fiction reader but I really enjoy this series so far.  They are definitely a thriller/suspense style book and I found this one to be a page turner.  The sci fi aspect of the story was fascinating and I found the dynamics between the different bots and characters to be interesting and unique.   If you are looking for a quick suspense read this series is a great choice.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

intriguing series

Not usually a sci fi reader but read the first In The series last year and enjoyed this one a lot. The different entities are intriguing and I found their ability to be compassionate even if they don’t really have emotions fascinating. The book has a bit of a mystery to it and I’m curious to see how the story unravels

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 23 Book #1
2. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 17 Award Winning
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #45
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #36
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #28 Award-winning book from your country
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #28. A book that won an award from Powell's list of book awards
7. Bookworm #10 Read a book from NPR's top 50 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of the past decade
8. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #13. Genre You Don’t Usually Read
9. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #16 YA or SciFi
10. OWLS 22  #11 Astronomy: A book set in outer space
11. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #27. A Hugo Award winner
12. Pick your Poison #26 a space opera
13. 52 books in 52 weeks  #7 Space Opera

   

Cookie Dough or Die

 Cookie Dough or Die is the first book in the Cookie Cutter Shop series by Virginia Lowell.   This was an interesting story set in Maryland.  There is a mixed focused on retail management and baking as the underlying story points in this book.  I did find the book a bit clunky at times but did enjoy the story overall.  The mystery was well written and the guilty party was definitely a surprise.  I look forward to reading more in the series to see how it develops.

Cookie Dough or Die by Virginia Lowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable first in a series. Quite a complex motive with a well structured crime. The investigation was well conceived and plausible. Look forward to reading more and seeing the characters develop

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #33
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  PA
3. What an Animal Book #24
4. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #44
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #35
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #28
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #46
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #44
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-den
• Weapon- poison
• Detectives- Olivia Greyson
• Victims- Clarisse Chamberlain
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #81  Shot #1

Death by Chocolate Lab

 Death by Chocolate Lab is the first Lucky Paws Petsitting mystery by Bethany Blake.  This is a great book if you are a dog lover.  The book features multiple breeds and their fun antics are sure to put a smile on your face.  Daphne is a bit of a free spirit, she even drives a 70s VW bus,  who is living with her veterinarian sister, Piper.  Her interactions with Piper are clearly ones of a loving relationship but they are certainly portrayed as women who also bicker and get on each other's nerves.  Don't even get them started on how much their mother can drive them nuts.   All very realistic representation of family dynamics in my opinion.

But family is family and Daphne gets involved helping to clear Piper's name when her ex is found murdered at her farm.   Daphne manages to create sparks with the new Detective in town, Johnathan Black-some romantic but mainly ones of irritation. These tensions create additional tensions with Daphne's sort of romantic interest, Dylan, as jealousy rears its head.  Creating some tense moments outside of the mystery solving activities.  This romantic triangle was a bit annoying at times and one fo the reasons I only gave this a 3.  The other factor was the flakiness of Daphne didn't really correspond with her diligence in detecting and I found it a bit irritating as well.  

 The mystery itself is well written with multiple suspects with valid motives.  There are some additional sub plots with mysterious origins as well that help point suspicion along the way.  The actual culprit was identifiable part way through the story but the motive was interesting when it was revealed.  All in all I look forward to reading more about this ensemble of characters and their hometown of Sylvan Springs in the Poconos. 

Death by Chocolate Lab by Bethany Blake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable first in a series. The MC, Daphne, is a bit of a free spirit but good hearted. Her relationship with her mother and sister, Piper, feel authentic. They love each other but get on each others nerves. If you love dogs this is a great book for you. Daphne is a pet sitter and a foster dog mom. The descriptions of the dogs and their antics are wonderful. The mystery itself is well constructed and although I had a suspicion of the guilty party the motive was quite a surprise. The book has lots of twists and turns in mysterious subplots that lead to many false guilty suspicions. I look forward to trying more in the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #32
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  PA
3. What an Animal Book #23
4. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 11 Debut Novel
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #43
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #34
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #26
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #45
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #43
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- woods; field
• Weapon- hammer
• Detectives- Daphne Templeton; Johnathan Black
• Victims- Steve Beamus; Virginia Lockhart
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #80  Shot #1
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #21. A book with one of the Monopoly tokens on the cover
14. Bookworm #23 Read a book about a musician (non-fiction or fiction)
15. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #4. Book with a Twist
16. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #7 debut novel
17. Nancy Drew #42. The Phantom of Pine Hill (1965) - read a book set in the mountains
18. Pick your Poison #86 a book that features a classic car

Mirror Girls

 Mirror Girls is a horror  YA novel by Kelly McWilliams.  This is definitely a book from outside my norm reading selections.  I don't even remember the last time I read a horror book if ever.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book- which I selected purely because the cover intrigued me.  

The author does a wonderful job of centering a book around a difficult topic- Jim Crow in the South without being too preachy about the topic.  There were some references to General Lee that reflected a modern lens being applied to history but for the most part the storyline stuck to the actions of a small town in GA during the 1950s.  It truly demonstrated how far the nation has come even though there are clearly areas we can still learn and improve upon.   

The actual plot of the story was well written and descriptive.  The paranormal aspects were well done and quite interesting.  The existence of spirits and how they came to haunt the area are explained and intriguing.  The book is a nice balance of plot and deeper themes and ideas to reflect upon.  Overall I really enjoyed this book and am glad I read it.  

Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really didn’t know what to expect with this book. The cover captured me when reading a book publication. I am definitely not a normal horror reader. This book was a wonderful read. The story and plot are very good and intriguing but the deeper themes and ideas are amazing. For the most part the book refrains from preaching and guilting about the past wrongs that occurred in this country. I think the stories and the demonstrations of the pervasiveness of Jim Crow laws is much more effective in explaining the past horrors. The symbolism of the mirrors and coming to see herself for who she is and is capable of being adds such depth to Magnolia. I appreciate that this book isn’t all happily ever after but there is hope which is what the world needs to move forward through difficult times and to affect change in a healthy and pervasive way.
This book is a wonderful read

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #31
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes   GA
3. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 14 Horror
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #42
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #50 A person of color as the main character
7. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #43. Spooky Read
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #23 book written for an age group you don't belong to
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #28 Read a YA book
10. Nancy Drew #38. The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (1961) - read a fantasy book
11. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #52 bipoc author
12. OWLS 22  #57 Animagus: Includes a shapeshifter
13. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # 12  A book about the afterlife
14. Pick your Poison #74 a book about a ghost
15. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  Mar  Fantasy
16. 52 books in 52 weeks  #6 Haunted

The Secret, Book & Scone Society

 The Secret, Book & Scone Society is the first book in the  series of the same name by Ellery Adams.  This series is different from the others I have read by her.  In each of her series the protagonist has a secret and they are protecting it.  In this book though the characters are very well developed.  Their flaws and fragility are very apparent.  It feels much more emotional and deeper than the average cozy mystery.  I really enjoyed reading this and learning about the characters and what makes them who they are.   

The mystery itself is very well written and the guilty party was not evident until right as it was revealed to the reader.   I look forward to reading more in this series for sure.  

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The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This cozy mystery has wonderful characters that truly are the center of the story. The development of their friendship is well constructed and feels very authentic. The 4 women all have past histories that brought them to Miracle Springs, NC as damaged and untrusting women. This book shows their slow growth in learning to trust and depend on each other. Although the timetable is probably a little unrealistically fast, it still demonstrates the struggles each woman goes through in learning to trust and open up to the others. I look forward to reading more about their relationships going forward

The mystery itself was very well constructed and there are plenty of twists and turns. The motive is well constructed and the women unravel it slowly but fairly methodically. There are definitely some twists and the ending has surprises.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #30
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NC
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #41
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #33
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #25
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #44
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #42
8. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- train tracks; bar
• Weapon- push; poison
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 41 Shot #3
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #7. A book related to psychology, neuroscience or the mind
12. OWLS 22  #2 Deathly Hallows: A book that has a symbol on the cover
13. Pick your Poison #6 a book by an author whose last name could be a first name
14. Beyond the Bookends  set in bookstore
15. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  mystery

A Safe House

 Given this is the 61st book in the Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods I am not surprised it is formulaic and predictable.   This was the first and probably the last time I read it as an audiobook.  I did not care for the narrator's portrayal of Dino Bacchetti's voice. It was far too nasally, and I have lived in NYC so I am familiar with NY accents, this was an over the top nasal twang.  

  The other aspect of this book that I did not care for was the level of stupidity the characters portrayed.  Bill Eggers the managing partner of the law firm Stone works for was made to sound like a bumbling idiot.  The choices Stone and Jenna (his client) make regarding entrance to properties where they are staying are pathetic considering they are being pursued by individuals looking to kill them both.  

I don't read these novels for intellectual stimulation or hard hitting thoughts, but this particular installment was darn right annoying.  I will not be rushing to check out the next Stone Barrington entry anytime soon.

A Safe House by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is about on par with the others in the series in terms of plot complexity and predictability. At least Stones’s bedroom antics are monogamous in this book. It was full of globetrotting to his different homes while trying to outrun a hired gun of an angry ex. I really am giving this a 2.5 because I did not care for how dumb Bob Eggers was portrayed. He was made to be a bumbling idiot vs successful law partner. Also the ludicrous behaviors of Stone and Jenna in light of attempted murders of both of them were ridiculous. I know someone is pursuing me but I’m going to buzz them into my office unattended. Come on. Also I listened to the audio book for this and I did not care for the portrayal of Dino Bacchetti’s voice. It rubbed me the wrong way.
If you want a mindless thriller that you can get lost in for a day or 2 then this will meet that requirement don’t read it for hard hitting storylines or literary value

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #29
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  ME
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 11 Book #2
4. Audiobook  #2022AudiobookChallenge  #2
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #40
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #43
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  3 Toe Tags
8. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- car; home office; bedroom
• Weapon- car bomb; gun
• Detectives- stone barrington; dino bacchetti
• Victims- Jamie Jacoby; Wallace Slade; Harley Quince
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 5 Shot #4
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #51 A book published in 2022
11. Bookworm #30 Read a Revenge Story
12. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #29. An Audiobook
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #7 Thriller novel 
14. Nancy Drew #5. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (1931) - read a book with horses in the story
15. Pick your Poison #23 a suspense novel
16. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  April: Mystery

A Murder between the Pages

 

A Murder between the Pages by Amy Lillard continues on the antics of the ladies of the Friday Night book Club and their abilities to test Arlo's patience.  I enjoy the growing details of the relationship between these women and Arlo as well as that of Arlo and Chloe's friendship.   The awkward romantic triangle between Arlo, Mads, and Sam, while a bit cliché, is an interesting dynamic that overlays the mysteries as well.  This book depicts life in small town Sugar Springs, Mississippi which I imagine is quite like living in a small town in many areas of the US.  The ladies of the book club use the beauty parlor as the source for town gossip to help them investigate both the 50 year old mystery as well as the current murder that both involved Lillyfield Manor and the wealthy Whitney family.  There is definitely a sense of reverence for the wealthy Whitney family whether they deserve it or not and there is a sense of mystery that surrounds their life as it differs from the rest of the town's residents.  These details add to the storyline and the mystery. The mystery was a bit predictable as I formulated my suspicions about halfway through the story, but it was still enjoyable to see how the story played out.   

The mystery ends with a cliff hanger that I am curious to learn more about in the next book in the series.  

A Murder Between the Pages by Amy Lillard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This second book in the series does a wonderful job of incorporating small town Mississippi into the plot. The antics of the Friday Night Book Club add a wonderful dimension to the mysteries. The structure of this story was well written and I enjoyed the correlations the book club made between the real life story in their town with that in the novel written by a local raised author. The realism of their actions is a bit stretched as I am sure they would be in much more trouble in real life for their interference but it still adds a fun tone to the story.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:21  Book #1
2. What an Animal Book #22
3. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book # 9
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #32
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #24
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #42
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #41
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- stairs
• Weapon- statue
• Detectives- Arlo/Mads
• Victims- Hayley
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 60 Shot #2
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #52. You Own But Haven’t Read
12. Beyond the Bookends  book set in bookstore
13. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  mystery

The Jasmine Moon Murder

 The Jasmine Moon Murder is perfect for tea lovers and mystery lovers alike.  This series is set in Theodosia's tea shop in Charleston, South Carolina.   I thoroughly enjoy the Southern charm and hospitality that appears throughout this series.  I am particularly intrigued by it right now as my son is considering attending college in South Carolina starting next year and I realized just how much of that region we could explore while visiting him.   

This is the 5th book in the series about Theodosia Browning and her tea shop.  The mysteries are well constructed and the atmosphere is well staged both in terms of Southern ambiance and the actual setting of the mysterious death in a cemetery. Theo investigates the death of  Jasper Davis, at the request of her  beau, Jory.   Uncle Jasper is a wonderful family member and a successful scientist involved in the development of a new angioplasty device.  The family and his company are at the center of the story.   The actual culprit was a surprise which is a nice turn of events since often the guilty party is predictable in cozy mysteries.  

This is a great book for those looking for an atmospheric mystery set in the South full of southern genteel and traditions, including a fox hunt.  I'm excited to read more in the series to learn more about different teas and to see how Theodosia and Jory's relationship develops.   

The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great cozy for anyone looking for Southern charm and great descriptions of tea and tea shops. The relationship between Theodosia and Jory is strengthened when she helps him figure out who’s behind the death of a family member. There were plenty of twists and the ending was a surprise

View all my reviews 

   

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 18 Book #1
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book # 8
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #31
4. Cozy Mysteries   #23 5 cozies each with a cover or spine representing one of the colors of the Olympic rings--   Yellow
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #23
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #41
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #40
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- cemetery
• Weapon- poison/fentanyl
• Detectives- theodosia
• Victims- jasper davis
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #1 Shot #6
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #1. A book with a main character whose name starts with A, T, or Y
12. Bookworm #52 A book with the number 5 in the title
13. Nancy Drew #40. The Moonstone Castle Mystery (1963) - read a book with a moon on the cover
14. OWLS 22  #50 Rubber Duck: A book with a yellow cover
15. Pick your Poison #59 a book you've been meaning to read
16. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  mystery
17. Lifetime of Reading  April – Life in Your 30s
18. 52 books in 52 weeks  #31 Southern Fiction

Cancans, Croissants and Caskets

Cancans, Croissants and Caskets is Mary McHugh's 3rd book in the Happy Hoofers series.  This time the ladies are scheduled to dance about a river boat on the Seine.  Their first scheduled show for the week is for Bastille Day.  Everyone aboard is excited for the party and the fireworks.  Unfortunately, sinister activities are afoot and the cruise ends on a bad note and the ladies find themselves embroiled in an investigation in a foreign country again.  

This installment is told from the perspective of Jan,  She is an actress who is single and finds herself with several suitors during their trip.   Again I enjoyed how McHugh combines the mystery details with wonderful flavors of the local setting.  It is easy to envision the sites in Paris as well as the culture and atmosphere.  The mystery was solvable for me before the reveal, but the motive was not clear until the actual ending.  

This is another series to read if you are looking to travel through reading.  Next stop for these ladies is Rio.  

Cancans, Croissants, and Caskets by Mary McHugh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoy this cozy series and especially the fact each book has a different member of the ensemble cast as the narrator. This time Jan, the actress, narrates the adventure in Paris as the Happy Hoofers perform on a River boat on the Seine. Again murder follows them and they meet many interesting character. The dynamic of the group’s friendships continues to develop as does the wonderful description of the places they visit in Paris. The mystery is well developed and the motive is logical. I did figure out the guilty party before it was revealed. The other reason I did not give this a 5 star is there are timeline inconsistencies- Jan’s initial visit to the club is repeatedly referred to as the night before when in fact it was 2 and 3 nights prior. Not a judge deal but a bit of an annoyance
I look forward to reading about the ladies adventures in Rio

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 20 Book #1
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book # 7
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #30
4. Cozy Mysteries   #8 you've owned for a year or more but haven't read
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #22
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #40
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #39
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- boat/apartment
• Weapon- gun
• Detectives- genevieve
• Victims- monsieur and madameosille fouchet
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 48 Shot #3
11. Bookworm #1 Read a book under $5
12. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #35. Purchased at a Bookstore
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #41 A book you bought from a bookstore
14. OWLS 22  #8 Hoggy Warty Hogwarts: A book that involves music
15. Pick your Poison #57 a book that's dusty from waiting to be read

Death in an English Cottage

 Death in an English Cottage is the 2nd book in the Murder on Location series by Sara Rosett.  Anglophiles and particularly lovers of Jane Austen will like this series.  This book has plenty of not very pleasant characters and some plot lines that aren't all positive and roses.  These combine to make the cozy feel authentic even when set in a foreign location. Rosett's descriptions of Nether Woodsmor makes it easy to visualize a story that could be shown on BBC with all their other mysteries.   The plot is full of false leads which lead to a surprise reveal at the ending.  I look forward to reading more of the series which I already have in my TBR pile.

Death in an English Cottage by Sara Rosett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series is fun as it focuses on movie making particularly the location scouting aspect of it. The descriptions of the English countryside and the Jane Austen connections transport the reader to another place and era. The mystery itself is complex with sub stories that help provide red herrings. I really like this series and feel as though Anglophiles and Jane Austen lovers will really like it as well

View all my reviews

   

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:19  Book #1
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book # 6
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #29
4. Cozy Mysteries   #6 with a setting or plot related to Britain or the British Monarchy
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #21
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #39
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #37
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-cottage
• Weapon- rock
• Detectives- kate sharp
• Victims- amy brown
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 26 Shot #3
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #18 Jane Austen-inspired
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #42. A book with a language or nationality in the title
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #23 Physical book on your bookshelf 
14. OWLS 22  #36 Herbology: A book with a plant on the cover or in the title
15. Pick your Poison #55 a book about a movie being filmed on location

The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies

 The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies is the first in the Houseswappers series by Adriana Licio.  This series seems to have the potential to be quite entertaining.  This first book finds 2 recently retired friends deciding to house swap and travel around Europe.  Etta and Dora recently retired from teaching and decided to share a house in their hometown in Italy.   This allows them to save on expenses without having to give up a family home.   They then decided to try a homeswap in Rothenburg, Germany.  All seems to be going well on that idea until the Watchman dies while giving a tour.  Suddenly the ladies are caretakers of Leon, a very strong willed Bassett Hound and knee deep in the mystery.  I enjoyed the fact the main characters are not seeking romantic relationships which is so often a subplot in cozy mysteries.  Additionally, the level of details describing their temporary home is wonderful and makes me want to explore there in real life.  If you are looking for a well structured mystery that allows you to travel vicariously then be sure to give this series a try.  An added plus is it's in Kindle Unlimited if you subscribe to that.  

The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies by Adriana Licio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

2 ladies and a basset hound steal the show

What a refreshing g cozy centered on 2 older ladies with no romantic interests at all the only o w stealing hears is Leon the basset. The descriptions of the town of Rothenburg and its residents were great. It made me want to visit. I did not guess the Guilty party until they revealed themselves. I cannot wait to read more of the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Germany
2. AtoZ   #2022AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  W 
3. What an Animal Book #21
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #39
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #28
6. Cruisin thru Cozies Non US setting #2
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #38
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #37
9. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- park
• Weapon- gabbard
• Detectives- etta/dora
• Victims- sebastian sauer
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #79  Shot #1
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #44. A book with gothic elements
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #42  Read a contemporary novel
14. Nancy Drew #10. Password to Larkspur Lane (1933) - read a book with flowers on the cover
15. Pick your Poison #54 a book by an author who lives in another country

Kiki Lowenstein Short Stories part 2

 In continuing with the compilation and for tracking purposes I have completed  The Further Adventures of Kiki Lowenstein: Collection #2   My original post regarding this anthology can be found here.  

This volume contained the following stories and novellas:

1. The Hand-Lettering – -a reminder of what our loved ones really value 2 The Turtle Hater − an attempt on a turtle’s life pulls Kiki out of her shell 3. With Pleasure – a lost necklace may well ruin a family get-together 4. The Lucky Charm – the theft of a valuable coin endangers a girl’s life 5. The Lilac Festival –a nasty trickster lurks on Mackinaw Island 6. The Purple Passion – a customer begs Kiki to help clear her daughter when she is accused of sex-texting 7. The Pet Pig – a prize porker prompts a preemptive panic 8. Too Much Squash – a misunderstanding results in way too much zucchini 9. The Cupcake Caper – when a friend frets that she’s over the hill, Kiki decides to level the playing field. Note: To avoid spoilers, it’s best to read Ready, Scrap, Shoot: Book #6 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series first.

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:16  Book #4
2. What an Animal Book #20
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #38
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #27
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free Choice #20
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #37
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #36
8. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #7a  Shot #2
9. Nancy Drew #8. Nancy's Mysterious Letter (1932) - read a book with a first name in the title
10. Pick your Poison #62 a book about a craft you do or would like to learn about