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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Killing in C Sharp by Alexia Gordon

Killing in C Sharp by Alexia Gordon

by CarolNo Comments
I read the first Gethsemane Brown mystery back in 2016 when it came out, but never got back to the series. Last year I watched the show on Hallmark mysteries, which was fun. Killing in C Sharp has been sitting on my to-read list for probably years now, but the audio was available from the library and I was in the mood for something light. (I'm always in the mood for something light.) There is a lot going on in this one. Ghost hunters have come to Gethsemane's cottage to prove her friend and resident ghost, Eamon, exists. A true crime writer is in town working on an updated version of the book she wrote on Eamon and his wife. Aed, a once-famous composer, is premiering his new opera at the opera house and giving a couple guest lectures at the school. He is followed by the reviewer who nearly killed his career with a bad review. And the opera manages...
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My Fatal Valentine by Leighann Dobbs

My Fatal Valentine by Leighann Dobbs

by Carol2 Comments
It's Valentine's Day and, of course, Juniper Holiday is throwing another of her over the top holiday parties. This time there's a raffle and the grand prize is an all-expense paid date with one of the hottest guys in town. But of course, there's a murder - the grand prize winner is found dead in the bathroom. It's a fun little mystery. Juni is determined to solve the case, but she also needs to step carefully because Detective Mallard's job might be on the line. As much as the two bicker, she doesn't want to ruin his career, especially because her goddaughter and he have a bit of an attraction going. The story moves along quickly. At first we have a couple of suspects, but little else to go on. Juni tries a bit of magic and talks to the ghosts, but it takes some old-fashioned detective work to get to the solution. I listened to the audio and I must have gotten...
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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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