Cozy Mystery – Page 19 – Carol's Notebook

Slashing Through the Snow by Jacqueline Frost

November 16, 2021November 12, 2021 by Carol2 Comments

Slashing Through the Snow is the third book of the cozy A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. Each book works as a standalone, but some of the characters and relationships evolve through the series. In the first book of the series, Holly had returned back home to her parents' Christmas Tree farm in Mistletoe, Maine. Now, the farm's bed and breakfast that she will be managing is open. Unfortunately, one of the first few guests, a rather nasty critic, is found dead just off the front porch. And one of Holly's friends, Cookie, a sweet if kooky older woman, is the most obvious suspect. Holly decided she has to investigate so she can provide her sheriff boyfriend with another suspect. The mystery itself was good, with several potential suspects, and enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing. Holly stirs up a bit of trouble with her questioning and gets rather serious threats and finds herself in two more...

Sleigh Spells by Bella Falls

November 12, 2021November 22, 2021 by Carol2 Comments

Mystery, magic, and romance at Christmas - Sleigh Spells is such a fun, sugary book. Aurora has a bit of a history, but serving probation in Holiday Haven has given her a fresh start. I love Holiday Haven. It's one of the towns near the North Pole and it is all about Christmas, even more so when the holiday is just days away. Then Santa's sleigh goes missing and none other than Mrs. Claus asks Aurora to investigate. Aurora is a witch, but wary of her magic — ice and especially fire can cause plenty of damage. She makes several new friends, most of whom are a little magical. My personal favorite is Nutty, her roommate who is a talking squirrel and also on probation, for stealing nuts of course. She also has a potential love interest. It's nice to see Aurora have a group of people she can rely on for help, it's something she hasn't had before in...

Murder on a Midnight Clear by Sara Rosett

November 11, 2021November 12, 2021 by Carol2 Comments

Yes, I've started reading Christmas books already. No, our house isn't decorated yet. Does anyone have any great ideas to protect a Christmas tree from a dog? The dog in Murder on a Midnight Clear is an adorable Jack Russell terrier who is a little better behaved than mine. Olive and Jasper are officially dating now, but Olive is her usual curious self, determined to figure out Jasper's secret. She follows him and does a bit of spying, which is in character if a bit annoying. She has a car accident that lands her in the same country house as Jasper for Christmas. And of course, there's a murder - the butler is found dead. A county house murder at the holidays may be my favorite set-up. I enjoy the decorations, the food, the presents, all of which give us some clues here. This time around we have an eccentric set of characters, each with their own secrets. Well, except Olive, she...

Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly

November 2, 2021November 1, 2021 by Carol4 Comments

I like when I get to start a series at the beginning. Our amateur sleuth in Getaway with Murder is Misty Murphy, the new owner of the Mountaintop Lodge. Our murder victim is of course one of her guests. Things I liked about Getaway with Murder: Our main character is 50, with plenty of life experience. Also, her love interest is a couple of years younger than her and not involved in law enforcement.The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina is a wonderful setting.The secondary, probably returning, characters are a slightly quirky bunch who will be fun to spend time with.The plot was well-done. The clues were there if you caught them, but also plenty of red herrings. And there were a few reasonable suspects in the circle. Things I didn't like: A few chapters were from the cat's point of view, which I wasn't expecting based on the blurb. I like pets in cozies, but don't really need their thoughts or opinions. While...

Murder at the Magnolia Inn by Helena Marchmont

October 14, 2021November 12, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

I really enjoy the Bunburry stories. The characters are fun and quirky and the setting is a typical, lovely small town, with an incompetent police sergeant. This time around Alfie, Liz, Marge, and Emma agree to help the two women who are developing the old manor house into a hotel. At first, they're dealing with vandalism, then a man is killed. The characters are what bring me back to this series. Alfie is funny and in this one his women troubles are mostly set aside. Marge and Liz are smart older women and I wish I had their fudge recipe. Emma is caring and I don't know how/why she puts up with the sergeant. Oscar has an interesting part too. I'm hoping we start seeing him around Bunburry more. The mystery was a bit rushed, but the solution made sense and I liked that it took all of our investigators to find the various bits that came together in the end. I'm looking...

The Cure for What Ales You by Ellie Alexander

September 16, 2021September 16, 2021 by Carol4 Comments

Sloan works at a craft brewery in the Pacific Northwest. The town has a faux-Bavarian ambiance and attracts a lot of tourists. I enjoy spending time in the town and with Sloan and her friends and family. I love how the town actually likes its tourists and how the townspeople all know and look out for each other. Of course, quirky characters and a good setting can just about carry any cozy mystery - thankfully. Our victim here is a housekeeper at a local hotel, but that investigation is overshadowed by the return of a woman from Sloan's past claiming to be her aunt. Honestly, I hope we're finally done with all the stuff from Sloan's childhood. It all seems unlikely and over the top and detracts from a good series. If the author could just keep the focus on the murders in the town, and not veer off into organized crime or drugs or whatever, I'd be much happier. Sloan's present...