A Pinch of Poison (A Lady & Lady's Maid Mystery #2) by Alyssa Maxwell

In post–World War I England, Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid, Eva Huntford, encounter an uncharitable killer at a charity luncheon sponsored by a posh school for girls . . . 

Good deeds build good character, and good character is what the Haverleigh School for Young Ladies is all about. Lady Phoebe—with the tireless assistance of Eva—has organized a luncheon at the school to benefit wounded veterans of the Great War, encouraging the students to participate in the cooking and the baking. But too many cooks do more than spoil the broth—they add up to a recipe for disaster when the school’s headmistress, Miss Finch, is poisoned. 

The girls at Haverleigh all come from highly respected families, none of whom will countenance their darling daughters being harassed like common criminals by the local police. So Lady Phoebe steps in to handle the wealthy young debutantes with tact and discretion, while Eva cozies up to the staff. Did one of the girls resent the headmistress enough to do her in? Did a teacher bear a grudge? What about the school nurse, clearly shell shocked from her service in the war? No one is above suspicion, not even members of the school’s governing body, some of whom objected to Miss Finch’s “modern” methods.

But Lady Phoebe and Eva will have to sleuth with great stealth—or the cornered killer may try to teach someone else a lethal lesson.  (Summary via Goodreads)


I am a HUGE fan of Alyssa Maxwell ! !  Her stories are so easy to get lost in !  Sometimes I don't want to return to the present.  I love traveling through time back to days where things were simple and proper.  

Even though it is set in a time where things were simple, there was still death and murder.  And Lady Phoebe always seems to get in the middle of it.   In a Pinch of Poison it is no different.  

The headmistress of the girl's school that Amelia attends dies after eating a meal prepared and served by the girl's.  And when they have to close the school so that no one else gets injured and the police can investigate, Lady Phoebe and Eva decide to see what they can find out from the girls and employees.   While helping with the investigation Lady Phoebe and Eva are also helping with schooling some of the girls whose parents are abroad and they have no where else to go.

I love the fact that Alyssa Maxwell always has you thinking while you are reading.  I like the fact that there are many possibilities and you start to like the characters and hope that they didn't commit murder...even though you know that one of them did.  She also has an amazing talent in how she inter-mingles ALL of the characters and settings.

I truly enjoy traveling back in time with Lady Phoebe and Eva and I'm positive that you will also !!  Let Alyssa Maxwell take you there !!

Reviewed by Missi S. 

The Cat of Christmas Present (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 10) by Kathi Daley

With less than two weeks until Christmas Cait stumbles across a man who had been washed up onto the beach. The man is very much alive, but after suffering a blow to the head, he cannot seem to remember who he is or how he came to be on the island. Cait and visiting cat Clarence set out to discover Prince Charming's identity only to find that their charismatic guest may not be so charming after all.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Kathi Daley has done it again! This is an amazing series and mystery full of Christmas hope. I will say I was crying at the end but I am not going to give any spoilers. Kathi Daley amazes me with every book I read and review. I love all of her series and could never choose a favorite because each are all great. 

This one is perfect for Christmas and for the feeling of hope that I was lacking this season. You rock Kathi, thank you.

Review by Penny M.

A Story to Kill (Cat Latimer Mystery #1) by Lynn Cahoon

Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado, hosting writers’ retreats in the big blue Victorian she’s inherited, much to her surprise, from none other than her carousing ex-husband! Now it’s an authors’ getaway—but Cat won’t let anyone get away with murder…
The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn’t know why he came all the way from New York, but she’s glad to have him among the quirkier—and far less famous—attendees.

Cat’s high school sweetheart Seth, who’s fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat…some of them a little overpowering. But it’s her uncle, the local police chief, whom she’ll call for help when there’s a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?  (Summary via Goodreads)


A Story to Kill was so fun to read !!!  If you like getting lost in a book, this is a book you must read !!!  The setting of most of the story is in a bed and breakfast whose owner  is focusing on it  being a Writer's Retreat.

Cat inherits the house from her ex-husband according to his will.  She moves back into it with her best friend, Shauna.  Shauna does all of the cooking, errands and dealing with the guests so that Cat can continue writing her 3rd book.  Unfortunately one of the guests is found murdered in his room and he was a very popular author.  Luckily Cat's uncle is the Police Chief so he is on top of everything.  But who would want to kill the author ?  Who knew he was there ?  Could it have been one of the other guests ?

Once the murder occurs the week goes downhill pretty quick.  Will this be the end of Cat's dream to have a bed and breakfast writer's retreat ???  Can Uncle Pete solve the murder before the end of the week ?

Cat has so much going on between running the bed and breafast, trying to get her word count in every day and trying to get a grasp on her feelings for Seth, her high school sweetheart who just so happens to be working on renovations to the house as well as keep the current guests some what satisfied or at least keep them alive.

Lynn Cahoon has a great first book in this Cat Latimer Mystery series.... I LOVED getting lost in the big bed and breakfast.  I felt like I was a guest......  Need a retreat of your own ?  Wanna get away for a bit ?  Let Lynn and Cat take you there.

Reviewed by Missi S.   

Death of a Wolfman ( Lily Gayle Lambert, #1) by Susan Boles

The first book in the Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery series. Quicker than she can stitch together the threads of a genealogy project she's just signed on to research, Lily Gayle Lambert finds herself embroiled in investigating the murder of a stranger who suffers from 'wolfman syndrome’. And, when a member of a prominent family turns up dead soon after the 'wolfman', Lily Gayle must find the link between the two and solve the mystery before she becomes the next target. Escaping from a trailer in the woods owned by two good ole boys and a confrontation with the eldest son of the town's wealthiest family have Lily Gayle hot on the trail of the killer…much to the consternation of her cousin. Who just happens to be the County Sheriff. With the help of her lifelong best friend, Dixie, and town busybody, Miss Edna, she pieces together the clues leading to a conclusion that shocks the entire town.  (Summary Goodreads)



Lily Gayle lives in a small town where everyone knows everyone and everything about each other.  That is except for the Mitchell family.  The Mitchell family is the oldest family in town going back hundreds of years.
Lily Gayle is asked to do a genealogy report of the family but LizBeth Mitchell.  Unfortunately before she gets started on her research a dead body is found.

Having dinner with her cousin who happens to be the County Sheriff, he gets the call.  Thinking it is nothing he allows her to ride with him.  That turns out to be a bad decision because once Lily Gayle sees the body, she takes it upon herself to start investigating on her own.

There is so much to like about Death of a Wolfman....the small town feeling, the friendships, the relationship between Lily Gayle and Ben.

As this is the first book in the series, I plan on visiting this little town as often as Susan Boles will allow.

Review by Missi S.

The Grrr-eat Tiger Chase (Beatrice Young Cozy Cat Mysteries #8) by Alannah Rogers

Beatrice Young almost died and no one's seen her since. So when a 500-pound Siberian tiger is stolen from a roadside attraction near the small town of Ashbrook, New Hampshire, it's up to her trusty friends Matthew and the sheriff to solve the case.

The plot thickens as the men discover the controversy surrounding Omar the tiger—the animal rights activists who want to free him, the owner who wants to keep him, and maybe even the exotic animal traders who want to sell him.

It's a dangerous case and Matthew and the sheriff quickly become the prey, not the hunters. Beatrice and her three crime-solving cats better make it back in time, before it all goes horribly wrong...

The Grrr-eat Tiger Chase is the eighth book in the Beatrice Young cozy cat mystery series. These books can be read in any order but are extra delightful when enjoyed in sequence. This story is especially satisfactory if you read book seven, The Paw-sitively Cheerful Poisoner, first.  (Summary via Goodreads)


I have never read any of this authors books before, and this being later in the series, I had no problem getting to know the characters in the book. I liked this story.  It was a fast and easy read. 

Interestingly the main character is 63 and very active.  I am 60 and thankful that I never had to face any "tigers on the loose" like Bee has in this story.   She is a determined independent woman and plans on staying that way...that's what keeps her young. 

Glad I had the chance to read this and recommend this to everyone.

Review by Rosemary

Betting on Murder: A Clara Callaway Mystery by Lillian Dore

Journey back to 1920s England, and join young Lady Clara Callaway and her lady’s maid, Alice Hart, as they go detecting together! 

The race is on when Clara Callaway, Giles and Alice find themselves at the scene of another murder. Champion jockey Michael Maloney has been killed mid-race, and now it’s up to Clara to track down the culprit. Is someone trying to fix the races, or does the motive go deeper than money? 

So when a corrupt owner, an angry bookie, and a jealous lover begin to crowd the field, the case becomes more tangled than ever before. And when their detecting leads Alice into grave danger, Clara begins to wonder. Have they finally gone too far?   (Summary via Goodreads)



If you have a free afternoon, reading Betting on Murder by Lillian Dore is just the treat you need.  Following Lady Clara and friends to the race track will be so fun !!  

No matter what Lady Clara does there is always excitement and Betting on Murder is no exception.  Unfortunately the excitement is murder and the victim is the jockey on the favored horse and the jockey is killed while racing !!

Lady Clara and her lady's maid begin to question family and friends of the jockey as well as the owner of the horse.  Would the owner of a horse go as far as shooting his jockey with an arrow ??  The owner of the race track ??  The bookie that is losing money on the horse ?  Can Lady Clara and Alice solve this crime ?  Will they do it before someone else gets hurt ??

I LOVE the Clara Callaway Mystery series !!!  The novella's are just the right size if you have an afternoon free.  Grab a cup of tea and take a trip back in time !!!

Review by Missi S.

Spicy Lasagna Murder: Book 13 in The Darling Deli Series (Darling Deli #13) by Patti Benning

With business thriving and her relationship with the private detective, David Morris, going better than ever, Moira Darling is on top of the world. Events take a sudden turn, however, when a fun date at the corn maze with David devolves into a nightmare. While struggling to recover from her own injuries, and unexpectedly finding herself responsible for yet another furry friend, the deli owner must dig deeper than ever before to find out who the murderer is, and this time the killer just might be the person that she least suspects.  (Summary ia Goodreads)


Cannot say enough about how much I love this series! The characters have grown so much from the first book to this one. Awesome. Very fun, full of energy read. 

Moira is on top of the world with her relationship with David and how her business is doing. Also very excited about how Candice is doing with her candy store and boyfriend Eli. On a date to a popular corn maze with David things go literally up in flames and thus begins another mystery and murder with Moira smack dab in the middle. She tries to save the people inside but unfortunately she is unable to save anyone as well as becomes a victim herself. They say time heals all wounds but this one may run deeper than anyone could realize.

Looking forward to book 14.

Review by Penny M.

Murder at Mistletoe Manor by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Klarinda Snow is the innkeeper of a beautiful, historic bed and breakfast in Windy Pines, Idaho. Guests come to Mistletoe Manor to escape from their troubles while enjoying the scenic mountain town.

When all seven rooms of the inn get booked on a Tuesday night in December, Klarinda is excited about having so much business, but a little confused as well. After all, her inn normally isn't exactly a destination hotspot.

The guests have barely settled in before strange things begin happening. Is this the most accident prone group of travelers ever, or is someone out for revenge?  (Summary via Goodreads)


With a name like Klarinda Snow and a bed and breakfast called Mistletoe Manor how can the story not be about Christmas and love ??  Well just add the word "murder" and the whole scene changes.

At first everything is going smoothly for Klarinda with a full house with all of the rooms reserved for one night.  But as she is checking the guests in for the night, she learns that they are all there by invitation.....invited by Mistletoe Manor.  Something Klarinda knows nothing about.

Once the guests have arrived they realize that most of them know each other from years ago at a boarding school.  Thinking it is nothing other than a reunion of sorts, everyone settles in and begin to enjoy the visit.  Unfortunately the fun doesn't last long when the guests are being found dead.  And to make matters even better, there is a blizzard outside causing everyone to stay in and the authorities slow in responding.

Murder at Mistletoe Manor will have you hooked from page one to the end.  And with it being a novella, you can rip through it quite quickly.  Holly Tierney-Bedord has a fan for life in me !!!  Hopefully she will hook you also !!!

Review by Missi S.

Prospect for Murder by Jeanne Burrows-Johnson

Writer Natalie Seachrist has had visions since childhood. But the vision of a girl's body draped over a vintage Mustang shatters her personal world when she learns the body belongs to her grandniece. With the help of retired police detective Keoni Hewitt and her feline companion Miss Una, Natalie begins her own investigation at an apartment in the foothills of Honolulu. Will Natalie be able to learn the truth about Ariel's death before the police close the investigation without an arrest? Or has Natalie put herself in the way of a killer who's willing to kill again to hide their secret?  (Summary via Goodreads)


Twins have "special" powers amongst each other.  They can feel each others pain, sense when one is in trouble, and even communicate without speaking out loud.  The twins in Prospect For Murder by Jeanne Burrows-Johnson are no different but are so different !!!  

In Prospect For Murder you have twins Nathan and Natalie as well as Nathan's granddaughters, Ariel and Brianna, who are also twins. Natalie also has a "gift" of seeing things happen....like before she received word that Ariel had died, she had seen it ALL in a vision. 

They know that there is no way that Ariel would have committed suicide and Natalie being the journalist that she is feels that it is up to her to find out what happened to her grand-niece.  So in order for her to investigate thoroughly Natalie rents out the apartment that Ariel was looking at when she died.

How far would you go to solve a family members death ?  Natalie goes farther than anyone would expect.....but will she solve the case or end up another casualty ? ? 

Review by Missi S.

Mac N Cheese Murder: Book 5 in The Bandit Hills Series by Blair Merrin

When a young woman is found brutally murdered by the side of the road, the sleepy little town of Bandit Hills is shaken to the core. With blood seemingly on everyone’s hands, this peaceful community of loving families and trusted relationships quickly becomes a hot bed of suspicion. Dirty secrets come to light, and greed and jealousy tear the community apart when darkness is exposed at the heart of even the most innocent of relationships. 

Cassie and Dash refuse to stand by and watch Bandit Hills fall apart. Working with local police, and more often on their own, the couple becomes caught up in a sticky, smoky, BBQ-sweet trail of intrigue that is more complex and sinister than either of them expected. Truly a fall-off-the-bone whodunit, Mac N Cheese Murder is the kind of finger licking good mystery that will have your stomach growling and your mind whirling until the very last bite.   (Summary via Goodreads)

Another great installment in The Bandit Hills series by Blair Merrin. Fun, fast paced is an understatement in the paranormal town of Bandit Hills where you never know what will happen next. 

Cass and her nerdy boyfriend Dash end up trying to exercise and end up finding a car and a dead body. That's Bandit Hills for ya! Things spiral from there when Cass finds out she knows the victim and something just isn't sitting well with her. Of course, curious Cass just can't let it go and begins to investigate much to the dismay of Dash. 

Excitement galore await readers in Mac N Cheese Murder book 5. 

Just a side note I love where Bonnie's character is headed but that is all I'll say. No spoilers here.

Review by Penny M.

Count Catula (Whales and Tails #9) by Kathi Daley

Cait and the gang set out to find a killer when novelist Amanda Lowman is found dead just an hour after speaking to the Mystery Lovers Book Club about her true crime novel: The Vampire Murders. As Cait delves into Amanda's death she finds a spider web of lies and half truths that could very well be tied to a series of murders that took place fifteen years prior. The deeper Cait digs the more tangled the web and the closer she becomes to being the vampire killers next victim.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Count Catula is book nine in The Whales and Tails cozy mystery series. I love all of Kathi Daley's Cozies but I have to say this is my favorite. I love the flow of her writing. They are clean, easy, fun, suspenseful reads for anyone who enjoys a great cozy. I wish Halloween could be all year long I think that is why I just couldn't put it down. I mean who doesn't love a great mystery on Halloween.
 
Cait is a very busy woman between Coffee Cat Books, Cody her boyfriend, and of course her awesome family. She really doesn't have time for another murder/mystery but ends up smack dab in the middle of this little Vampire themed thriller. 


She has invited Amanda Lowman to The Coffee Cat Book Club to speak about her new thriller that just may be tied to a true murder mystery on the island that occurred 15 years ago to two teenagers drained of their blood with two puncture holes like a Vampire killing. 


Amanda leaves her notebook behind and Cait returns it only to find Amanda a victim of a cold case that has haunted the island for years. Now the murder board is up and running with the help of the gang but will Cait survive this Vampire cold case???


Kathi Daley has done it again with a must read anytime of the year for a great suspense mystery.

Review by Penny M.

Arsenic with Austen (Crime with the Classics #1) by Katherine Bolger Hyde

When Emily Cavanaugh inherits a fortune from her great aunt, she expects her life to change. She doesn't expect to embark on a murder investigation, confront the man who broke her heart 35 years before, and nearly lose her own life.

Emily travels to the sleepy coastal village of Stony Beach, Oregon, to claim her inheritance, centered in a beautiful Victorian estate called Windy Corner but also including a substantial portion of the real estate of the whole town. As she gets to know the town's eccentric inhabitants--including her own once-and-possibly-future love, Sheriff Luke Richards--she learns of a covert plan to develop Stony Beach into a major resort. She also hears hints that her aunt may have been murdered. Soon another suspicious death confirms this, and before long Emily herself experiences a near-fatal accident.

Meanwhile, Emily reads Persuasion, hoping to find belated happiness with her first love as Anne Elliot did with Captain Wentworth. She notices a similarity between her not-quite-cousin Brock Runcible, heir to a smaller portion of her aunt's property, and Mr. Elliot in Persuasion, and her suspicions of Brock crystallize. But as she and Luke continue to investigate and events speed toward a climax, Emily realizes that underneath the innocent-looking rocks of Stony Beach lurk festering jealousies that would have shocked even the worst of Jane Austen's charming reprobates.  (Summary via Goodreads)

This is an amazing new series. This isn't your ordinary cozy. The author gives you little tidbits to follow by adding literary quotes to each chapter even before you continue on with the adventure. I am a sucker for literature and love how she was able to include subtle references throughout the book.

Emily is thrown into wealth and a huge Victorian house called Windy Corner left to her by her Aunt. She is an English professor now thrown into a totally different world where not everyone is happy about her inheritance. On the other hand she does get a second chance at the love of her life. No spoilers we will just see where this goes.

Some people in Stoney Beach were glad to see her Aunt pass because they thought they would be able to take over. That didn't happen because Emily doesn't want to change Stoney Beach either. Problem though, there are people in town willing to kill to change her mind! Will she survive or be the next victim to succumb to greed and secrets? 

Review by Penny M.

A NOTE TO AUTHORS & PUBLISHERS

THANK YOU for your interest in Cozy Mystery Book Reviews and for sending your books to us to read and promote !!  

I, also, must apologize for any delays in providing our reviews.  As you know this is a non-profit blog and we do our best to provide reviews in a timely manner.  Unfortunately Penny and I have had to focus our time on things in our personal lives.  

HOWEVER, I am now able to focus more on what I LOVE to do.....read, read, & read ! 

Although there is a backlog of reading to be done, I am focused on tackling that.  I have begun the search for another book loving individual who is willing to help us with reading and reviewing.

***If you have already sent your book and haven't heard back from me with the posting information or haven't seem it on the blog.....PLEASE BE PATIENT !!!  Also if you have a book coming out or has been out that you would love to be featured on the blog, please email me all the information.  And lastly, if I have all the information and your book has not been reviewed and posted and you have a DATE you would like it by, please email me that information.

Also I will be getting back to do AUTHOR REVIEWS & GIVEAWAYS !!!!  I have spoken to some authors and will begin working on those in the very near future !!  If you are an author and are willing to tell me your dark, deep writing secrets... or whatever,  and are willing to do a book giveaway, please email me ! ! !


The email is :  cozymysterybookreviews@gmail.com

Thank you ! ! ! ! ! ! 

Missi & Penny

***** BOOK REVIEWER NEEDED *****

We are seeking someone who LOVES reading Cozy Mysteries and would be willing to help Penny and myself read and review them !!!!  We have been overwhelmed with interest in the blog by authors and publishers.  Reading is not our entire lives, although sometimes we wish it was (hee hee).  Penny and myself have had to focus more of our time on our personal lives therefore reading and the blog have suffered.  Things are looking better and I feel confident that I can again provide my attention to the blog.  Unfortunately there is lots of reading to be had.......

If you are familiar with the blog, you should know that these are NON-paying "jobs".  We aren't in it for money, we are doing this because we LOVE reading and helping others.  By writing a review we are not just helping another reader choose their next book to read but we are also, and most importantly, assisting the writer by promoting their books !!!!

Looking for someone who has a reading device, compatible with Kindle Fire, as the books will be forwarded to you this way.  You will not have to purchase the reading material as I will be receiving them in exchange for an honest review.  This may help with your reading budget some...

If you are interested please email me at :                             cozymysterybookreviews@gmail.com

The Devil's Flood (Emory Crawford Mysteries Book #3) by Pearl R. Meaker

Can a house disappear without a trace?

Emory and Jebbin are with an archeological dig on the shore of Sutton's Lake west of Twombly looking for a house that might only be a legend. Madison Twombly has plans to investigate a "super booze" being handed out at clandestine drinking parties.

When the house is found it contains two mummified bodies. The parties​ stop because a young man is killed in a drunken duel. Emory and Madison realize there are connections between the hundred year old mummies and the current day crime.

Sometimes the past won't stay in the past.  (Summary via Goodreads)

It has been a while since I have read a book, let alone a series, as quickly as I have read the Emory Crawford Mystery series.  To say I couldn't put the books down is absolutely correct !!!  And when I did have the power to put the book down, it was for a very short time.

The Devil's Flood is the third book in this captivating series and Emory again is caught up into mystery and mayheem......but it's so fun !!!

While on an archeological dig Jebbin falls through the ground which ends up being the roof of the house they are searching for.  It was said that during a major flood in the year 1844 the Sutton House completely vanished.  Not only is the house discovered, in tact below ground, but there are also 2 mummified male bodies with gunshot evidence to their chests.

Not only is the finding of the house a big deal but there are secret parties going on around the County with a "new" powerful alcoholic beverage being served.  While Madison decides to go to one of the parties to do some "investigating" there is a gun fight leaving one person dead.

Although Jebbin was hurt as a result of his fall, he is still able to do some work in the lab with dear family friend, Chatty.  This is a very good thing seeing as not only do they have the mummified bodies and artifacts from the house to test, they are also receiving things from the gun fight.

Of course Emory and Madison cannot just sit around and wait for results to develop.  They have to do their own digging....especially when friend Melva is accused of murder.

Melva claims to be a distant relative of the buried home Sutton's and turns to Emory and Madison for help.  Little does she know that both possess the "gift" of finding things out in mysterious ways.

Can they prove Melva is innocent ?  Can they fiqure out how the 2 mummy-men were killed ?  Can they clear the Sutton name ??

I am a book reviewer who should be able to read books quickly.  I was amazed at how quickly I read this series and how much I enjoyed reading them.  Even though there are 2 separate cases involved in The Devil's Flood, Pearl Meaker has a way in her writing to keep you on track, not missing a thing !!!

Review by Missi S.

Cat's Cradle: A Crazy Cat Lady short story by Mollie Hunt

Lynley Cannon knows the sound of a cat in trouble, so when she hears plaintive mews coming from a gym bag on the floor of a vacant warehouse, she has no choice but to respond. Lynley isn’t the only one who is after that gym bag. As shots fly, Lynley and Kitten run for their lives in this Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery short story.  (Summary via Goodreads)


What a cute short story by Mollie Hunt.  Cat's Cradle lets the reader get to know Lynley Cannon a little better and shows the reader just how much she adores cats and how far she will go for these animals.

As Lynley is walking she hears a faint meow and in the area that she is in, she knows that it can't be a good thing.  So while she follows the sounds coming from the kitten, she finds that the kitten is in a gym bag in an old warehouse.  Unfortunately the zipper is stuck so she cannot rescue the kitty.  As she ponders what to do she hears footsteps and tries to find a place to hide.  She takes off with the gymbag while someone is shooting at her.

Why is someone shooting at her ?  Why is the kitten stuck inside of a gymbag ?  What else is in the gymbag ?  Is this the end for her ??

For Cat's Cradle being a short story there is a lot going on.  So if you find you have a few minutes of spare time, Cat's Cradle is just right for you !!!  

Review by Missi S.

Cats' Eyes (Crazy Cat Lady #1) by Mollie Hunt

What if a retired cat-lady discovered a stolen sixty-eight carat chunk of trouble in her back yard pond?
Lynley Cannon is the crazy cat lady, but she's not quite crazy yet, though a bizarre connection to a bumbled heist and a double homicide has got her wondering in this 1st Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery.
Retiree Lynley Cannon adores her Old Portland home with her clowder of rescue cats, but when elderly Fluffs drags in a dusky brown beach agate that turns out to be a priceless chocolate diamond, things change fast. The uncut stone, one of a pair called the Cats’ Eyes, has been stolen from its wealthy owner, but how it ended up a cat toy, even the robbers cannot guess. Threatened by kidnapping, theft, and murder, Lynley is determined to maintain her serenity, even if it means finding the crooks herself. With the police completely baffled, friends, family, and a hunky humane society investigator come onboard to help. The killer thinks Lynley has the diamonds and will go to any lengths to get them back. Will Lynley live to clean the litter box another day?  (Summary via Goodreads)


After just losing my cat, Sammy, I wasn't sure that reading a book regarding cats in any form would be good.  BOY was I wrong !!!!  Being a "crazy" cat lover myself and having rescued 2 wonderful cats there was so much I could understand and relate to in Cats' Eyes by Mollie Hunt.  If you are a cat lover or even an animal lover and pet owner I HIGHLY recommend grabbing this book.  It is the first in Hunt's Crazy Cat Lady Mystery series and I cannot wait to get my paws on book two, Copy Cats.

Lynley Cannon is the definition of "crazy" cat lady.  She has a handful of cats of her own, she volunteers at a cat-only shelter with her best friend Fannie and she foster's cats.  Although she a huge cat lover and lives in a big house alone with her cats she is far from crazy.

Lynley finds her world turned upside down and she doesn't even know why.  Apparently there are 2 stone-looking diamonds that are brown and resemble a cat's eye and 2 brothers think that she has them.  She actually had one that her cat Fluffs brought in from the backyard.  Her home was broken into but Lynley had no idea why.  She didn't even realize the ONLY thing taken was the rock/diamond.

Lynley gets attacked, kidnapped, drugged, left to die on a mountain and then held captive in her own home and throughout these ordeals the only thing she is worried about is her CATS.  

As a cat lover myself I can totally relate.  Although I usually only have one cat of my own, that one cat is my WORLD !!!  I personally hate going on vacation and leaving them behind and alone.  If that doesn't tell you something.... I suggest you pick up Cats' Eyes and read it.  Then you will understand......

Review by Missi S.

The Devil's Hook (Emory Crawford Mysteries Book #2) by Pearl R. Meaker

Life is getting strange in Twombly, Illinois.

Jairus Twombly's familial intuition is faltering and his new personal assistant seems to be trying to replace his wife, Amy.

On the Twombly College campus, someone is breaking into the dorm rooms of female students leaving things instead of taking things: red colored objects including a red golf ball, a red ribbon and a tiny red stuffed dog.

When a recipient of some of the red objects goes missing and is returned after being told, "You're not her", and the personal assistant turns up dead with Amy Twombly's elegant Bloodwood crochet hook in her eye, things heat up for Emory Crawford and her chemist and forensic scientist husband, Dr. Jebbin Crawford.

Emory, along with the Twombly's Nancy Drew-like daughter, Madison, once more turns to her amateur detective skills and intuition to solve the mysteries.  (Summary via Goodreads)



I am totally hooked on the Emory Crawford Mystery series.  And I am not just saying it that way because of the title of Book Two, The Devil's Hook.

In The Devil's Music, Book One in the series, you get to know Emory, the people closest to her, what she is about and you see some of the college that is her home.  But in The Devil's Hook you begin to understand what is so special about Emory and the people around her.  

In The Devil's Hook not only is there a case of someone breaking into female dorms and leaving red colored items but the personal assistant of the President of the college ends up murdered.  No one likes Amy Twombly but when she is arrested for the murder, Emory feels very strongly that she is innocent,  But with only 5 people in the house at the time of the murder, Amy is the only one with motive to want the assistant gone......or is she ?

Emory along with Madison, daughter of the accused, do some investigating of their own to try to clear Amy's name.  

Can Emory find out who is behind the red colored items ?  Can she prove Amy is innocent ?  Does she have the "gift" or is it just plain luck that she gets things right ??

As with all reviews, I could go on and on tell you more and more but then there is no reason for you to want to read this series.  And I want to encourage you to read these books.  Not only are the characters lovable and the setting enjoyable but you will get completely hooked !!!

Review by Missi S.

The Devil's Music by Pearl R. Meaker

When an acclaimed scholar and musician is found murdered on the Twombly College campus where her husband teaches chemistry and forensics, Emory Crawford emerges as the most inquisitive, persistent and clever amateur detective since Miss Marple. This cozy mystery is the first book in the Emory Crawford Mysteries Series.  (Summary via Amazon)


Emory Crawford is a wife, a mother, a homemaker, a volunteer, an avid reader, a musician, a friend.  Emory Crawford is not a detective or anything close to that.....or so she thought.

Emory's husband is a college professor and she loves being a college professor's wife.  She loves Twombly College and volunteers on campus whenever she can.  Her latest volunteering job places her at the Welcome table for a week-long Midwest Anthropological Studies Society's conference.  Not only is she greeting the attendees but her and her husband, Jebbin, are involved in the opening ceremony.

Archie, a friend of Emory and Jebbin, has written a book pertaining to the field and will be a big part of the conference.  Unfortunately he is found in a garden murdered just after the opening dinner.

The local authorities are looking to have the case solved before the week-long event concludes putting Jebbin and his friend Chatty is a tough spot researching and working in the lab.  Emory decides to "help" out by talking to some of the others in attendance.

Emory is certain that she has solved the murder and knows who the murderer is......until he is found murdered in one of the gardens on campus as well.  

Can she really solve the case, especially now that there are 2 murders ?  She was told that she has the "gift".... what does that actually mean ? 

The Devil's Music by Pearl R. Meaker is a very interesting story about music and death and how they come together.  Even though it is a rather "dark" topic, you will not feel like you are in the dark.  Meaker keeps you going right along side Emory as she wanders around campus playing Miss Marple......


Review by Missi S.

Lethal Dose of Love by Cindy Davis

What does it take to make a law-abiding, outgoing, philanthropic woman murder her only son? Sean's misdeeds began with the thefts of school kids' lunches and toys, and escalated to womanizing and blackmail. The town's reputation is in jeopardy. His mother puts up with it for twenty-seven years, four months and seventeen days-then she snaps.Claire devises a plan to poison him.Trouble is, she buys the plant, from which she derives the poison, in a good friends' shop. When Payton comes under suspicion for the murder, Claire descends into deep depression. She's committed one murder to protect her town, will she commit another to protect her friend?  (Summary via Goodreads)


Sackets Harbor is a quaint little town with tourist shops, restaurants, a marina and wonderful people.  In Sackets Harbor everyone knows everyone and they take care of each other.  Sackets Harbor is a great place to visit and live....except for one thing.....Sean Adams.  Sean Adams has lived in Sackets Harbor his entire life and has been a thorn in everybody's side......especially Claire's.

When Payton Winter's moves to town and opens Payton's Place - Exotic and Domestic Plants, it seems she unknowingly opens a window of opportunity for more than one member of the community a way to remove the thorn.

Unfortunately it puts Payton right in the middle of the investigation when Sean and his racing partner are found murdered during the first saliboat race of the season.  When the murder weapon is found to be poison from a plant that has been sold in Payton's store, Sergeant Espinoza will not rest until he captures the killer nor will he let Payton.

How can you find a murderer in a town full of people who wanted the deceased dead ?  Payton decides to take it upon herself to do some snooping and asking around.  Will she be killed next ?  Can she save this town and the people that are dear to her before it's too late ?

Cindy Davis will keep you guessing and wondering from page one until the end of Lethal Dose of Love.  Don't be so sure you know who the murderer is until you read till the end.  There is such a twist in the end that will be sure to blow your mind !!!

Review by Missi S.  

Sinister Strawberry Waffle: Book 3 in The Diner of the Dead Series by Carolyn Q. Hunter

SUMMER PRESCOTT BOOKS is thrilled to announce the release of the long-awaited 3rd book in The Diner of the Dead Series: Sinister Strawberry Waffle!!!! 

Just when it seems that things have finally quieted down for diner owner Sonja Reed, a threatening note, which is slipped under her door, spurs a series of spine-tingling events. When a simple landscaping project goes terribly awry, and a local businessman is murdered, Sonja finds herself in the midst of her most perplexing and dangerous mystery yet.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Another great fast paced read that I couldn't put down. This series has me hooked! Each of these books are full of mystery,suspense,and of course murder. This one has even more awaiting you, secrets long buried, frightening nightmares for Sonja, and the spirit world ready to lend a hand. Loved this book!

Sonja has decided it is time to give the outside of the diner a facelift. She has asked a local company Merrill, Macklin's Landscaping and more to take care of all the weeds and dead grass. Then something strange happens and both Sonja and Bill Merrill are given warnings to not do the job and to hire someone else? Weird??? Little do both of them know that someone wants to keep not only the grass dead but one or both of them! Lots of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat in the small town where things go bump in the night.

I am looking forward to book four.

Review by Penny M.

Stripped Bare by Shannon Baker

Kate Fox is living the dream. She’s married to Grand County Sheriff Ted Conner, the heir to her beloved Nebraska Sandhills cattle ranch, where they live with Kate’s orphaned teenage niece, Carly. With the support of the well-connected Fox Clan, which includes Kate’s eight boisterous and interfering siblings, Ted’s reelection as Grand County Sheriff is virtually assured. That leaves Kate to the solitude and satisfaction of Frog Creek, her own slice of heaven.

One night Kate answers a shattering phone call from Roxy at the Bar J. Carly’s granddad Eldon, owner of the ranch, is dead and Ted has been shot and may never walk again. Kate vows to find the killer. She soon discovers Ted responded so quickly to the scene because he was already at the Bar J . . . in Roxy’s bed. And to add to her woes, Carly has gone missing.

Kate finds out that Eldon was considering selling his ranch to an obscenely rich environmentalist. Some in town hate the idea of an outsider buying up land, others are desperate to sell . . . and some might kill to get their way. As she becomes the victim of several “accidents,” Kate knows she must find the killer before it’s too late. . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

All Kate wants to do is work the ranch taking care of the new calves, help her husband get re-elected as Sheriff and be there for her niece Carly.  But in one night everything changes ! !  Carly's grandfather, Eldon, is murdered, Ted is also shot and Carly is gone.

Now Kate needs to find Carly and find out who killed Eldon and shot Ted.  Unfortunately while she is doing her own investigating she uncovers some secrets that change how she feels towards the man she has loved forever.  How can she prove his innocence when the whole town knows the secret and the last person she wants anything to do with who has the power to destroy everything wants to team up with her in the investigating ?

Stripped Bare, A Kate Fox Mystery, by Shannon Baker takes you to a place far into the country where the cows outnumber the townfolk and daily life is hard work but as long as your family has your back, you can handle anything !!! 

Review by Missi S.

Marinated Murder: Book 4 in The Bandit Hills Series by Blair Merrin

SUMMER PRESCOTT BOOKS is thrilled to present: 
Marinated Murder - Book 4 in The Bandit Hills Series by Cozy author Blair Merrin!!! 

Progress is a good thing…until it reveals secrets that have been long hidden. When a historic home is torn down to make room for a new hotel, Cassie and Dash once again find themselves caught up in solving a murder case, and the town of Bandit Hills is rocked by a sad tale of anguish and deception. Will the couple solve the case before the murderer can strike again? Find out in this latest enthralling installment of The Bandit Hills Series.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Delicious is the best way to describe book four. Things are heating up in Bandit Hills not only because of ghosts but long buried secrets that some may kill to keep buried. On the yummy side, Bonnie has found a cookbook with recipes that will make your mouth water reading. Perfect cook out BBQ!

Cassie and Dash are at the diner and become caught up in another murder mystery when someone comes in saying there's a dead body at the Waverly house. Dash ends up going and tells Cas to hang back and call Phil. Phil gets there pretty quick but the interesting thing is the call that Cassie gets from Dash asking her to come to the scene? This definitely has her interest peaked until she gets there only to find an object that was supposed to be with Bonnie beside the dead body! Wholly Cow! How did it get there??? Well, I guess that's Bandit Hills for ya. Soon Cassie will become even closer to the object and the ghost attached to it to try and solve this murder and prevent another.

This book had me guessing all the way through and I was shocked at the end.

Review by Penny M.

The Great Catsby (Whales and Tails #8) by Kathi Daley

Cait's friend Alex who we met in The Cat of Christmas Past returns to Madrona Island a vastly changed man. It seems that wealth has made an impact on his personality and not in a good way. During one of the legendary parties Alex has become famous for throwing one of the guests dies and it looks as if Alex may have blood on his hands. Cait and Cody set out to prove Alex's innocence with the help of Ebenezer, the cat we met in The Cat of Christmas Past.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Another amazing 5 star book by Kathi Daley. The Great Catsby is book 8 in the Whales and Tails series. A cozy series not to be missed. This book like all of the others grabs you from page one and has you hooked till the last page. I love that some characters from previous books have come back to Madrona Island, especially Ebenezer the mysterious cat. He has a knack for helping Cait solve mysteries as well as saving her from bad guys.

In this book Alex, a friend of Cait's has come back to Madrona Island a changed man. He has done a full 180 and is now quite frankly acting like a rich snob! That is until after one of his wild parties he ends up the prime suspect in the murder of a guest.

Besides Alex, Cait has a lot on her plate with her mom getting married and her sister Cassie not taking all the changes as well as her mom would like. YIKES! This is a touchy subject. Poor Cait. She is in the middle of everything but Ebenezer is here to help. This wonderful cat was introduced to us in The Cat of Christmas Past and is back to help. Before long Cait maybe over her head and Ebenezer maybe the only one who can save her from the real killer.

Grab your copy of this great series! You will love it!

Review by Penny M.