Who Slayed The Santas? by Leighann Dobbs

Who Slayed The Santas? by Leighann Dobbs

by CarolNo Comments
Who Slayed the Santas? is fun, short, quirky and a little silly, just like the rest of the Juniper holiday series. This time around Juniper is getting ready for her over-the-top Christmas party and hires a Santa and his troupe for entertainment. The next day, one of the resident ghosts finds Santa dead under the Christmas tree. And that's just the first dead Santa. Detective Mallard and Juniper are both intent on solving the case. I like Juni. She's exuberant and caring, but she can be a little too mean to people sometimes. This is a totally Christmas mystery - decorations, food, music, it's all there. The mystery itself was fine if rushed. I did listen to the audio version. At least this time I knew in advance that the narrator wouldn't be my favorite....
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Thanksgiving Dinner Death by Leighann Dobbs

Thanksgiving Dinner Death by Leighann Dobbs

by CarolNo Comments
I love a good holiday cozy mystery. I did read the first in this series a couple of years ago, but it's an easy one to just pick up. Juniper Holiday has invited lots of people to her Thanksgiving dinner, including the local police detective, Desmond Mallard. But when someone is poisoned, Juni somehow ends up both the prime suspect and potentially the intended victim. She of course decides she has to figure out what's going on. Juniper is funny and eccentric and not afraid to speak her mind. There’s a touch of paranormal: a few helpful ghosts, and a friendly neighborhood potions master. The whodunnit was a little obvious, but I don't typically mind that too much as long as the rest of the story is enjoyable, which it was. I listened to the audio and my one complaint is that the narrator was awful. Her inflections were over-the-top and didn't always seem to fit the story. This is one...
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In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones

In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones

by CarolNo Comments
I really wanted to like In the Wick of Time. it has so many good points - good setting, Christmas, quirky characters, even a bit of magic, but it was just lacking for me. Tabby and Sage are not women I want to hang out with. Well, Tabby maybe, at least she seem semi-sensible most of the time. Sage, however is selfish and whiny. The magic in this world was a little confusing. Tabby and Sage are energy users, I think, but other people cast spells and enchantments. Apparently the cops know magic exists, but Tabby's boyfriend doesn't - or maybe he does, I'm not sure. There was also one scene between an energy vampire and Sage that made me uncomfortable and wasn't really dealt with. The mystery itself was fine, even if the killer's motive was pretty weak. I don't think I'll pick up any more in the series....
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The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds by Bobbi Holmes

The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds by Bobbi Holmes

by Carol1 Comment
The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds is the second in the Haunting Danielle series. I did not read the first, but I felt the author did a fine job getting me up to speed. Danielle Boatman inherited Marlow House from her aunt and is planning on opening it as a B&B. The house is haunted by Walt Marlow, who is charming. I think his murder was solved in the first book. Danielle's annying cousin, Cheryl, has showed up and wants her half of the inheritance, especially the Thorndike necklace. This was a fun book. I liked Danielle and her friends, at least the ones who believe in her. Cheryl is a bit over the top, but it works for the story. The cops were less than competent, as in most cozies. The mystery moved along at a good pace, with several suspects and enough clues and red herrings. I was surpised by who the killer turned out to be....
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Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

by CarolNo Comments
Midnight Riot was so fun, in the way that murder, magic, ghosts, and British slang can sometimes be. Constable Peter Grant is on probation and about to be assigned a post where his days will be filled with paperwork. It is only by (bad?) luck, that he stumbles on a murder scene and meets an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost, a ghost he can see and talk with. Peter ends up being assigned to assist Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who runs the Special Operations Unit, responsible for investigating the "unusual" in London. In this first in the series, the two are dealing with a spike of unusual murders in the city while also trying to broker a deal between the gods and goddess of the Rivers of the Thames. Peter, from whose viewpoint we see the story, is a fabulous character. He has is self-deprecating and firmly rooted in the modern world. He also has an interesting family...
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