It's Christmas time, which in Mistletoe, Maine, means another murder. This time around, the dead woman is in town with a antiques show, and was caught earlier on the evening she died trying to steal an antique decoration from a bakery. When the bakery owner, Alice, comes under suspicion, Holly want to help. Holly's husband, Sherriff Evan Gray, wants her to leave the mystery to him, especially since she's pregnant.
It annoyed me how everyone treated Holly with kid gloves. Yes, she needed to pay attention to her blood pressure, but that's for her and her doctor to worry about - and maybe Evan, but definitely not everyone in town. She's an adult woman with five solved murders to her credit. She doesn't need baby sitters and constant reminders to watch what she eats. I'll grant you, it frustrated her too, and she did tell her friends and family to back off, but so much of the story was wasted on...
I had high hopes for A Matter of Pedigree. I like starting a series at the beginning and Carole and Frank Capobianco sounded like a good couple to base a series around. Turned out I was not a fan.
Carole and Frank are newly wealthy, thanks to a toilet Frank invented. They make a too high offer on a fancy apartment, but are rejected as "not the right people." When the property owner is found dead, Frank becomes a suspect and Carole takes it upon herself to prove his innocence.
While I loved Frank's parents and the delicious Italian foods they cook, Carole and Frank themselves were annoying. I think Carole's supposed to be funny and quirky, but she's mostly just self-centered and I got tired of hearing about all of the luxury brand items she wore/used. I could have liked her dog, Poopsie, but she was not a great dog owner. She basically drugged the poor puppy so it would stop barking. I understand reactive...
The Cupcake Bakery mysteries are fun, light mysteries with a bit too much romance but plenty of delicious cupcakes. I typically listen to this series on audio that I've borrowed from the library, which is how I read Vanilla Beaned, too. This time around Mel, Angie and Tate traveling to Las Vegas in an attempt to open a bakery franchise. Mel's still not thrilled with the idea and is underwhelmed when the prospective owner turns out to be a showgirl, Holly Hartzmark. Throw in an Elvis impersonator contest, a potential stalker, and a murder and plans quickly go awry. Someone seems to be willing to kill to stop a Las Vegas location from becoming reality, but is the violence aimed at Holly or Mel? Happily Marty and Oz make the trip to Vegas to help out.
I enjoy spending time with these characters, even if I'm tired of Mel's romantic life story line and Tate and Angie are a bit too...
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...
I read the first in this series starring reporter Jolene Garcia, but this one definitely works as a stand alone. Jolene is looking for the next big story, since the murder she solved in book 1 hasn't really seemed to give her career much of a bounce. However, her bosses have her running all over town to cover cupcakes and stuck elevators, so when a small business owner with ties to the city council is killed, Jolene feels like she's the only one who wants to investigate.
Jolene is an interesting character. She's caring, smart, and tenacious. She's also a bit of a bulldozer and is not above hurting her friends' feelings or pawning assignments off on the intern in order to do what she thinks she needs to. She's ambitious, but maybe not entirely likeable. I liked the peek into a news station and Jolene was a competent investigator.
The mystery itself was well done. It moved along at a...
I will admit I picked up 10 Marchfield Square based on the blurb alone. Granted, I've only seen a couple of episodes of Only Murders in the Building and haven't read The Paris Apartment, but I know I would enjoy both of those and a mix of the two sounded. fun. And it was a good pick.
Marchfield Square is a close-knit, safe community—until one of its residents is found dead. The elderly and eccentric landlady, Celeste, doesn't trust the cops and recruits two of the other residents of the square to solve the murder, Audrey and Lewis. Audrey, Celeste's cleaner, is personable and knows everyone in the square and some of their secrets. Lewis is a crime writer who's writing career has stalled. He's socially awkward and lives a solitary life, but sees this as a way to kickstart his writing. The interactions between these two are funny and heartwarming.
The characters really drive the book. Audrey and Lewis of course,...
