Cozy Mystery – Page 8 – Carol's Notebook

Hard Dough Homocide by Olivia Matthews

May 12, 2023December 12, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

Hard Dough Homocied picks up where the first in the series left off, with the Murray family busy running their family bakery. They've been asked to cater a local high school principal's retirement party, a woman Lyndsay's mom, Della, dislikes. And of course, when the woman dies in the bakery, Della becomes the chief suspect in the murder investigation. Lyndsay decides she has to investigate to clear her mom's name and save the business - being connected with two murders just months apart is definitely not good for customer retention. I can't tell if the cops are actually incompetent or not, since we only see things thru Lyndsay's eyes. There are several suspects and at least from Lyndsay's point of view, the cops aren't investigating them all as well as they should. We've got a few clues that definitely point to people aside from Della. Lyndsay and her family are very close. They always have each others' backs. The family even joins...

Still Life in Brunswick Stew by Larissa Reinhart

May 3, 2023May 3, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

First, I have to admit I had no idea what Brunswick Stew is. Apparently, it's a Southern dish, a tomato-based stew filled with local beans, vegetables, and originally small game meat such as squirrel or rabbit, though today often chicken or smoked pork. The Brunswick Stew Cook-Off is a major draw at the annual festival in Sidewinder, Georgia where Cherry, a painter, and her friend Eloise Parker, who makes Raku pottery, have set up an art booth. It's not a good day. A bunch of people end up with food poisoning and it kills Eloise. Cherry, of course, is convinced it wasn't an accident and is determined to figure out who killed Eloise. The mystery is not the strongest part of the book. I guessed who the killer was fairly early, but really didn't care so much. The characters and the small-town antics are what drives the book. Cherry is a mess, but likable. She's broke, her love life's a disaster,...

Portrait of a Dead Guy by Larissa Reinhart

April 27, 2023April 27, 2023 by Carol2 Comments

As a small-town portrait artist, Cherry Tucker works hard to make a living. So when she hears that the wealthy Branson family wants a portrait of their trouble-making son, Dustin, she jumps on it. Yeah, painting a dead guy in a coffin is a little odd, but she can handle it. Then she finds herself accused of trespassing and stealing from a corpse. She's also the suspect in a murder. She needs to figure out who killed Dustin if only to save her reputation. Cherry is a fun character. She's sassy, smart, and talented. She has a weakness for pretty men and is firmly loyal to her friends and family. We've got the usual quirky characters and a stubborn goat, but it's all done with a bit of Southern charm and flare. The mystery itself was good. I guessed who the killer was but didn't know the motive. There were several clues and enough red herrings to keep Cherry on her toes....

Much Ado about Nauticaling by Gabby Allan

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 by Carol2 Comments

Much Ado about Nauticaling is a breezy cozy mystery set on Santa Catalina Island, California. Whitney Dagner has left the corporate world to return to her hometown to help her brother, Nick, run the family glass-bottomed boat tour company and open her own island gift shop. Everything is going well until a wealthy businessman is found in the water, strangled to death. Nick quickly becomes the number one suspect, and Whitney is determined to clear his name. Much Ado about Nauticaling was fine. I liked the small island setting and some of the characters, especially Whitney's grandparents, were charming. Whitney herself was persistent but needs to hone her investigative skills a bit more. Felix, her potential love interest, was almost too perfect. And to be honest I didn't feel like Whitney was special enough for him and her best friend to just up and move for/with her. I did love her cat though. Whiskers is a pretty good partner, The mystery was...

A Hex for Danger by Esme Addison

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

Alex Daniels has settled into Bellamy Bay well and is helping out at the family herbal apothecary. Her aunt and cousins have welcomed her with open arms, and she is immersed in her mermaid heritage, learning her skills and unearthing talents. Everyone in town is looking forward to the Mermail Festival. As part of the festival, Neve Ryland, a mural artist, is invited to paint and unveil a mural for the visitors' center. Shortly after the unveiling, Neve is found murdered. Once again, Detective Jack Frazier, Alex's boyfriend, has settled on a person Alex is close to as the main suspect. Honestly, I'm not sure what Alex sees in Jack. We never see them having fun together, just eating and grumping at each other about the cases. He keeps secrets from her, doesn't take her opinions seriously, and looks down on her family business. Granted, Alex is keeping secrets too, but I don't think Jack would believe her if she...

A Beach House to Die For by K. C. Ames

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023 by Carol2 Comments

When Dana Kirkpatrick inherits a Costa Rican beach house from her uncle, the newly divorced woman decides to leave her old life behind and move to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, her cousin, Roy, and his wife are contesting the will. Then Roy is killed, and Dana's the main suspect. A Beach House to Die for was like a mini-vacation. It was sunny and relaxed and the foods sounded delicious, but I think the howler monkeys might drive me crazy. Most of the locals were friendly and helpful. Dana was a good lead character. She's friendly and nice, but pushy enough to get answers. The mystery was fine. I didn't guess who the killer was but probably should have. This was a fun, light read, which is what I expect from a cozy. It has a fabulous setting, quirky characters, a potential love interest, and even a cat. ...