A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

by CarolNo Comments
Anahera has returned to her hometown of Golden Cove, a small, secluded enclave in New Zealand after the death of her husband. She hasn't even settled in when a young, vibrant woman vanishes without a trace. Will Gallagher, the sole police officer stationed in Golden Cove, is quick to launch a search for the missing woman and of course, Anahera joins the rest of the town in canvassing the area. When the search proves fruitless, Will must consider that a local is responsible for Miriama’s disappearance. Will finds himself relying on Anahera to help unearth the secrets that may reveal a killer hiding in their midst.The woman’s disappearance reminds the folks in town of a summer fifteen years ago, when three female hikers also disappeared. Anahera and Will are both complex, well developed characters, who can both get a little too caught up in their pasts. I liked the relationship that developed between them and their attraction added to...
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Prophet by Sin Blaché and Helen Macdonald

Prophet by Sin Blaché and Helen Macdonald

by CarolNo Comments
I loved about 80% of Prophet. It's a slightly creepy sci-fi thriller with a slow-burn romance between the two leads. The end kind of went off the rails for me, but I liked Rao and Adam enough for it not to matter. Wonder if they could get a sequel? Prophet is set circa 2010, in more or less our world, but a sergeant has died in a mysterious fire on a US base in the UK. Around the base, dozens of objects appeared ranging from familiar, nostalgic childhood toys, to a full American-style diner in the middle of an empty field. Enter Adam, a surly American military officer, and Rao, a sort of ex-MI6 spy pulled out of rehab who can tell what's true, whether it be if something's real and not a forgery or if a statement is true - a power that conveniently doesn't work where Adam's concerned. It's up to them to figure out what's going on. Oh,...
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Death at the Deep Dive by Josh Lanyon

Death at the Deep Dive by Josh Lanyon

by CarolNo Comments
I thoroughly enjoy this series for the characters, mysteries, and setting. Ellery is such a nice guy and I've enjoyed his relationship with Police Chief, Jack. They make a good pair. Pirates Cove on Buck Island is a small town with quirky residents, as befits any good cozy, and Buck Island's pirate history adds a unique flavor. Ellery finds a back of Spanish coins tucked away in the bookstore. Apparently sixty years ago, Vernon Shandy did discover the famed Blood Red Rose treasure before he was killed. By now Ellery has built a bit of a reputation for his amateur detective work, and Vernon's sister Vera, matriarch of the Shandy clan, asks Ellery to solve the murder, offering a list of suspects that includes Ellery's great aunt Eudora. The mystery was put together well. We had several suspects, but the solution is actually a bit sad. The ending of the book was quite sweet, however, and I'm looking forward to the next in...
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A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly

A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly

by CarolNo Comments
I like the basic setup here. Misty owns the Mountaintop Lodge and is hosting a group of women motorcyclists for the week. And one of the bikers ends up dead, killed while they were out on a ride. Misty is naturally observant and working around the lodge gives her the perfect opportunity to talk to the women and get a peek inside their rooms. I like Misty in a lot of ways. She's nice, relatable, and does a good job of sharing information with the police. I also like her relationship with her handyman, Rocky, but I don't like her "should I / what if?"s. She's a decisive, confident woman- otherwise she wouldn't own the lodge. I also don't understand, for someone who has never ridden a motorcycle, how she knows every make and model of the women's bikes as they pull into the lot. She also jumps to conclusions quickly. She's willing to admit when she's wrong and maybe it's...
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Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke

Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke

by Carol1 Comment
Vinyl Resting Place is the first in the Record Shop Mysteries. It's always nice to catch a new series at the beginning. Juni Jessup and her sisters, Tansy and Maggie, open Sip & Spin Records in Cedar River, Texas where they sell vinyl records and coffee. While the sisters are cleaning up after their grand opening party, Juni opens the supply to find a dead woman. The woman is murdered and the sisters' uncle, who is also their silent partner, seems to be the main suspect. Juni is a fun character, smart and a bit quirky. She's just moved back to town and is catching up with old friends and new gossip. Her sisters are good sidekicks. Her ex-boyfriend, Beau Russel, is investigating the case, leading to several awkward encounters. I'm not a fan of Beau. We're told he's a good guy, but he seems manipulative, bossy and underestimates Juni. He's romantic interest #1. We also have romantic interest #2, Teddy,...
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Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant by Darci Hannah

Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant by Darci Hannah

by CarolNo Comments
First of all, Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant has me craving fall baked goods - pumpkin donuts, pumpkin spice cheesecake, pumpkin scones. And apple dumplings, but those weren't in the book. Lindsey runs her bakery out of a remodeled lighthouse and lives in the keeper's section. It's Halloween and in addition to the town festivities, Lindsey's best friend, Kennedy, has invited the Ghost Guys to come to the lighthouse to film an episode for their show. Lindsey knows the lighthouse is haunted, which makes her even more nervous about the Guys showing up with all their equipment and tech gadgets. The whole things goes horribly awry when a local teacher is found dead, hanging from a tree just outside of the lighthouse. This is the third in the series I've read. I like Lindsey and her family and friends a lot. They're caring, loyal, and the appropriate amount of quirky. The mystery is well done with plenty of clues, suspects, and red...
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