Cozy Mystery – Page 35 – Carol's Notebook

Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien

January 4, 2020January 4, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

Lana Lee is working at the noodle shop's stand at the Night Market when the pleasant summer evening is disrupted by an explosion of one of the food trucks. The owner of the truck is killed in the explosion. His wife suffered some minor burns, but the police are suspicious that she may have something to do with the bomb, possibly for the insurance money. Lana and her roommate Megan decide to investigate, in part because Lana's curious, but the wife is one of her mom's friends and her mom is upset. It seems like most of the Asian community in Cleveland know each other and/or have mutual acquaintances, which makes gathering information easier, but trying to do it without attracting notice difficult. I've been reading this series in order and enjoying it. Lana's relationships with her family is great. They love each other, but that doesn't mean they always get along. And Lana's aunt is in town, adding a whole nother...

Last Two Books of the Year

December 31, 2019December 31, 2019 by Carol6 Comments

I finished my last two books of the year earlier today. I decided to make just a couple short comments about them both and that let's me start 2020 with a fresh slate. I enjoyed this Christmassy cozy mystery. First, it's set in Pittsburgh and I know the places, which makes it fun. Second, Fiona is a good amateur sleuth. This time around, her mom's her sidekick and instigates some of the more dangerous plans. Fiona's boyfriend is a police detective, but he doesn't put her down or overly discourage her. The mystery was good with just enough clues. I love how Georgie is up for pretty much anything in order to not have to stay with her brother and his wife. Now, she is staying with the Dowager Duchness of Eynsford and of course there's a murder. Georgie is delightful and I liked how she actually took the time to get to know the children of the house, not just the...

Mailbox Monday – 12/23

December 23, 2019February 5, 2020 by Carol10 Comments

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists. Tell us about your new arrivals by adding your Mailbox Monday post to the linky at mailboxmonday.wordpress.com. I received a wonderful package from by Bookish Secret Santa, Adam at Roof Beam Reader. I also picked up Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke....

Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey

December 18, 2019December 18, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

Apple Cider Slaying is the first book in a new series. I've read a couple books by this author (under her pseudonym) before and enjoyed them well enough, but what drew me to this one was the Christmassy setting. Winnie has returned to her hometown, Blossom Valley, West Virginia to help Granny turn around the family business. She has plans to open a cider shop, allowing Granny's orchard to make money year-round, but she needs a loan. While leading the banker on a tour of the property, she finds the neighbor dead in the cider press, the neighbor who was in a decades-long feud with Granny. Winnie decides she has to do some investigating because she can't bear the thought of her grandmother being accused. She and the sheriff butt heads a bit, but he's the potential love interest, so of course he's mostly concerned with her safety. In the meantime, she decides to go ahead with a Christmas Festival...

Grievance in Gingerbread Alley by Leighann Dobbs

December 17, 2019December 16, 2019 by CarolNo Comments

Grievance in Gingerbread Alley is the second of the Christmas Village Cozies. They're both quick fun reads and I read this one right after the first. Gus is on vacation in Christmas Village, playing jazz piano at the North Pole Lounge. She knows Christmas Village can't be as perfect and cheery as it seems. While she's out and about she watches as a protester keels over, obviously poisoned, and she can't help investigating. The woman was protesting the treatment of the birds in Christmas Village: the partridge, French hens, geese, swans, turtle doves. There are lots of suspects in her death with the birds' caretakers and the philandering husband and his mistress, at the top of the list. The problem, at least for Gus, is that the local detective in charge was one of her teachers at the police academy. They apparently never got along well, and not Detective Winters is insisting Gus stay out of the way. So Gus, and...

Cadaver on Candy Cane Lane by Leighann Dobbs

December 17, 2019December 16, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

Cadaver on Candy Cane Lane is a fun, quirky mystery novella. Christmas Village is Christmas village. It's where elves make toys, a pear tree grows in the middle of winter, swans swim in the lake, and reindeer talk. A lot of the activities are for tourists, tourism is big business for Christmas village, but so is toy-making and shipping. Alfie, the murdered elf, was the Union Rep at the toy factory and a strike was on the horizon. There are a lot of feelings, and motives, on both sides of the issue. Our amateur detective is Ember from Dobbs' Silver Hollow series, which I haven't read. The idea of the mash-up is cute and I didn't feel like I missed anything from not having read the other. Ember is sweet and trying to prove that she is a good detective too. She's in Christmas village helping her aunt Phoebe, the candy lady, get enough stock ready for the holidays, and one...