Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay

Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay

by CarolNo Comments
The Cupcake Bakery mysteries are fun, light mysteries with a bit too much romance but plenty of delicious cupcakes. I typically listen to this series on audio that I've borrowed from the library, which is how I read Vanilla Beaned, too. This time around Mel, Angie and Tate traveling to Las Vegas in an attempt to open a bakery franchise. Mel's still not thrilled with the idea and is underwhelmed when the prospective owner turns out to be a showgirl, Holly Hartzmark. Throw in an Elvis impersonator contest, a potential stalker, and a murder and plans quickly go awry. Someone seems to be willing to kill to stop a Las Vegas location from becoming reality, but is the violence aimed at Holly or Mel? Happily Marty and Oz make the trip to Vegas to help out. I enjoy spending time with these characters, even if I'm tired of Mel's romantic life story line and Tate and Angie are a bit too...
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Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman

Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman

by CarolNo Comments
I love the concept in Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library. Agatha Christie appears in a specialty mystery library in NY in contemporary times saying that she’s taking a break from a rather dull afterlife to help amateur sleuth and book conservator Tory Van Dyne solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet. The future victim? Tory’s sister Nic’s agent—who ends up being pushed in front of a subway train. Mrs. Christie, aka Mrs. Mallowan, is charming and insightful. She does a good job of encouraging the rather quirky set of "detectives" to work things out for themselves. She also has a habit of quoting from her books, which is fun at first, but becomes a bit overdone as the book goes on.  The supporting cast seemed a little quirky for quirky's sake. Tory is pretty bland - she does have a reason, but we don't know it until well into the book, but she she does wear a lot of...
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Five Golden Wings by Donna Andrews

Five Golden Wings by Donna Andrews

by Carol1 Comment
I am a sucker for Christmas cozies, and since they start releasing in October, that's typically when I start reading them. The Meg Langslow series is one I dip in and out of, but typically enjoy. It's Christmas again in Caerphilly and what would Christmas be like without a bunch of quirky relatives and a murder? Two of Meg's cousins are having weddings in Caerphilly the Saturday before Christmas - not a double wedding, more like competing weddings- same photographer, same venue, but different times and each seems determined to outdo the other. Actually, it seemed like a weird setup - who could possibly have thought this was a good idea? But it's the photographer who ends up dead, not one of the wedding party. The story moves along quickly and some of the bride's antics and others' responses are downright funny. Meg somehow manages to keep her calm in the midst of the chaos- and helps solve the murder, since...
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An Enemy in the Village by Martin Walker

An Enemy in the Village by Martin Walker

by Carol1 Comment
I've read a couple of the earlier books in the Bruno, Chief of Police series and enjoyed them. This one was boring. Bruno does a lot of riding and eating. We see a lot of his dog. The death takes place at the beginning of the book, but while Bruno talks to some people, the investigation doesn't really accomplish much until the last chapter or two, when it all falls in to place too quickly. In the meantime, we get a bunch of village life and some territorial disputes among the various police forces and some bad behavior among the gendarmes. Bruno is a likeable character. He truly cares about the people of his village and doing his job. The food descriptions were wonderful and tempting. I just need more from the plot. Maybe if I had read the series from the beginning and cared more about the characters I wouldn't have minded so much, but I kept asking when we...
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A Brew for Chaos by Esme Addison

A Brew for Chaos by Esme Addison

by CarolNo Comments
I remember liking the first two Enchanted Bay Mysteries, which is why I picked up A Brew for Chaos, but looking back at my comments now, I definitely enjoyed the first more than the second. As for A Brew for Chaos, I really should have skipped it. It's fall in Bellamy Bay and Oktoberfest is coming up. I was hoping for all the fall vibes and a cozy mystery, which is not what I got. And I should have been prepared based on how I felt about the second, but I only remembered the cute town, the close-knit family, the bit of mermaid magic. Instead I got more paranormal than cozy and more government conspiracy than killer down the block. The characters are mostly well-developed and the topics it brings are worth discussing, especially in light of the political climate, but it did have me rolling my eyes occasionally at how outlandish some of the plot was. I think this is...
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October Cloak and Dagger Link-Up

October Cloak and Dagger Link-Up

by CarolNo Comments
Happy October! Is anyone reading anything spooky this month? I'm thinking maybe a little light horror, like Play Nice by Rachel Harrison. Anybody have any favorite spooky books, whether Cloak and Dagger reads or not? I read The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Link you Cloak and Dagger reads below or in the comments. You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter...
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