Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis

Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis

by CarolNo Comments
The Floating Hotel is the Abeona, a spaceship hotel touring the galaxy. It's definitely light on technology. The Abeona itself is rather retro, with lots of wood and paper and pneumatic tubes There seems to be only one woman on the maintenance team and we never really know many details of how the ship works, just that it does and has been doing so for decades. Every chapter in Floating Hotel is written from a new character's POV. Most of them are staff or returning regulars, and each has a past, or purpose, that has led them to the hotel. We learn their backstories and see how they spend their days. The stories and characters gradually build a picture of the vibrant life on the hotel, while weaving in a few mysteries as the plot meanders along. I enjoyed the book, right up until the end. I wish the mystery portion could have somehow worked out differently or maybe been worked through...
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A Killer Clue by Victoria Gilbert

A Killer Clue by Victoria Gilbert

by CarolNo Comments
We first met Jane Hunter and her boss, millionaire Cameron Clew in the first book of the series, A Cryptic Clue. Jane is a retired librarian hired by Cam to catalog his collection of mystery books, but the two of them have also started doing small investigations for people. In this second of the series, Eloise Anderson, a bookseller Cam deals with occasionally, has approached them about her mother's case. Her mother, now dead, was convicted of killing Eloise's father, but Eloise believes she was innocent and wants Cam to find out who the real killer was. Things become more complicated when another murder occurs and Eloise is the prime suspect. Jane and Cam make a good team. They have a Holmes and Watson vibe, but Jane is a more motherly figure than the usual sidekick. Jane is smart and good at talking to people, while Cam is not great at social situations and strongly prefers not to leave his home,...
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Curds of Prey by Korina Moss

Curds of Prey by Korina Moss

by Carol5 Comments
Yep, Cheesemonger Willa Bauer has found another dead body. This time around, the murdered man is Nelson Trumbull, the nephew of the mayor and the fiancé of Summer Harrington, whose parents are the wealthy and influential new owners of All Things Sonoma magazine. He was killed at Summer's bridal shower, where Willa was providing the cheese bar, and Roman becomes a chief suspect. Roman, it turns out, dumped Summer at the altar a few years earlier and was seen arguing with Nelson. And he doesn't have an alibi. The mystery was well-paced and the new characters fit well or at least as well as entitled rich people can in a cozy mystery. We have several clues and potential suspects, but Willa definitely has to watch her step. It's not only her own reputation (and life) at risk, but also her shop, if she understands Mrs. Harrington's threats correctly. The characters are great. Willa is warm, friendly, and definitely growing as a...
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Gone for Gouda by Korina Moss

Gone for Gouda by Korina Moss

by CarolNo Comments
Gone for Gouda is the second of the Cheese Shop Mysteries. This time around Willa and the other small business owners of Yarrow Glen are gearing up for the harvest festival and parade. In addition, Willa is hosting a book and cook event for Phoebe Winston, a celebrity vegan chef, at her cheese shop, Curds & Whey. Phoebe, it turns out, is quite a diva and the even is going to take more effort and money than Willa expected. Then, photos show up online of the chef eating ribs and just a few hours later she's found dead in her rental house. And Archie, Willa's employee, was the last person caught on the security system's camera. The mystery was solid. Phoebe had connections to several people in town in addition to her assistant, Thomas, who came with her but is staying at the Inn, not the rental house. Willa can't just stand back and let the police blame Archie. This time,...
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Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss

Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss

by Carol2 Comments
Cheddar Off Dead is the first of the Cheese Shop Mysteries and it was fun. Willa has recently opened her cheese shop, Curds & Whey, and is hoping a good review from the local food critic, Guy Lippinger. His visit to her shop does not go well though. Even worse, later that evening, Willa finds him dead in his car, stabbed with a knife from her shop. When Willa realizes the cops are looking at her as a viable suspect, she starts poking around on her own. We have all the typical cozy mystery ingredients - amateur sleuth with an interesting job, in this case a cheesemonger; a pet fish; a small town - Yarrow Glen; quirky friends; and an attractive detective. I liked Willa. She is not great at the whole sleuthing thing yet, but she's nice, makes delicious cheesy recipes, and is someone I can root for. I don't love the potential love triangle that's developing - those...
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