Murder at Vinland (Gilded Newport Mysteries Book # 12) by Alyssa Maxwell

Reporter and sleuth Emma Cross Andrews must stop a bold poisoner who is targeting the society wives of the Four Hundred in Gilded Age Newport, Rhode Island . . .

August 1901: A fundraiser for a new Rhode Island Audubon Society brings Emma to Vinland, the Viking-themed seaside home of her relative, Florence Vanderbilt Twombly, where the guest of honor is Edith Roosevelt, wife of Vice President Theodore Roosevelt. Listening to the speakers and observing the ladies in attendance, Emma is struck by the contrast of the Viking warrior–inspired elements in the house and the admirable but admittedly genteel cause of bird protection. Vinland bears the name of the Vikings’ first landfall in North America, but in this room today there is most assuredly no one to fear.

Emma’s observation of harmless philanthropy is proven wrong the following morning when one of Mrs. Twombly’s houseguests from the luncheon becomes mysteriously and dangerously ill. Accompanying police detective Jesse Whyte, Emma discovers a box of petit fours supposedly sent by Mrs. Roosevelt. They promptly rule out the Second Lady as a suspect, but someone has poisoned the cakes.

Soon another box of desserts as well as letters tainted with ink containing caustic toxins show up at other grand Newport cottages. Are the ladies from the luncheon being targeted? Emma and Jesse must sort through possible motives and means because now more than the birds need protection . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

After reading Murder at Vinland, the twelfth book in the Gilded Newport Mystery series by Alyssa Maxwell, I had to sleep on it.  I have been a fan of this series since the very first book, main character Emma Cross has become a friend, her family has become family, her love of things, have become that with me as well.  I have an imaginary guest room in her Gull Manor home and I love sitting around the kitchen table with Nanny and Katie while they are preparing the meals and walking along the property with Patch and Emma and her newlywed husband Derrick.  If that was all these books were about I would be content with that but they are so much more .... Emma has a knack for assisting Detective Jesse Whyte when there is a murder in Newport, Rhode Island.  Emma has a way in with the members of the Four Hundred group, that is the rich and rich.  Emma is a distant cousin to the Vanderbilt family and they have accepted her and allowed her access to things others are not.

In Murder at Vinland Emma and Detective Whyte have their hands full when a woman who attended a fundraiser is poisoned after eating petit fours that were delivered to her.  The nature in which she was poisoned is horrible as it burned her mouth, lips and internally.  Emma does not know if attending the fundraiser had anything to do with the poisoning until another woman who was at the fundraiser is also targeted but her injuries are not as severe.  Emma begins to look at all of the attendees of the fundraiser, mainly the out of towners who are there to try to start the Rhode Island Audubon Society.  

Unfortunately Emma also has the newpaper to run with her new husband Derrick.  And they have invited Amity Carter and her niece Zinnia Lewis to stay with them at Gull Manor once they learn that Amity owns the property next to Gull Manor.  Emma and Derrick very much want to purchase the property so that they can build a house there and use Gull Manor as a school for girls.

So even without the poisoning case to work on Emma and Derrick are always busy so readers are drawn into their lives instantly.  Then add helping Detective Whyte and you are immediately hooked !!!  

Murder at Vinland, in my opinion, has a tad more excitement and will have readers on the edge, if not falling out of their seats with excitement, not to mention the hazard of receiving paper cuts from turning the pages so quickly.  Maybe the nature of the crimes, the poisoning and how it ended up in the hands of the injured, heightens the story .....  And do not get me started on the last few chapters of the story ..... I am still waiting for my blood pressure to stabilize .... however, Maxwell ends the story beautifully and I, for one, cannot wait for the next installment in the Gilded Newport Mystery series and I know you will agree !!!!!

Booked on Murder (The Haunted Library Mysteries Book # 8) by Allison Brook

Librarian Carrie Singleton must catch a killer before she can say “I do,” in the 8th delightful installment in Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library Mystery series.

Carrie Singleton is ready to kiss the single life goodbye. Her wedding to Dylan Avery is just a few weeks away, and a happy ending is about to be hers. But when a body is found on the lawn of their wedding venue, happily-ever-after is looking deadlier than ever. 

The victim turns out to be Billy Carpenter, a young man recently released from prison after serving time for a bank robbery. The stolen money he’d buried is gone and Carrie and the police suspect Billy’s two alleged co-conspirators, his friends Luke Rizzo and Tino Valdez. But then Luke is murdered and Tino is nowhere to be found. 

With no leads and only a week to go before her big day, Carrie is on the hunt for clues. She hopes to wrap up this investigation with a neat bow before she and Dylan tie the knot. Carrie has something old, something new, and something borrowed ready for her walk down the aisle. Now she needs to find the killer without becoming the ‘something blue.’  (Summary via Goodreads)

Although I haven't read all of the books in the Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook, I
became a devoted fan throught the books I did read.  Sometimes in your reading journey you develop feelings for a series, a book, the characters, the town or whatever and this series was that for me.  

Booked on Murder is the eighth book in the series and main character Carrie Singleton is going to have her happily ever after ..... or die trying !!!  Carrie seems to get herself in the middle of trouble but ends up helping solving a murder in the process.  However, in Booked on Murder she has to stay focused on the finish line which is walking down the aisle and saying I DO to her soon to be husband, Dylan Avery.

Unfortunately when Carrie and Dylan are doing a walk through at their friend Victor's house where the wedding is to take place in a few weeks, they find a dead body by the gazebo.  They then learn that the deceased is a recently released man who robbed a bank.  The money was never recovered and it is thought that the two guys who helped robbed the bank must have had something to do with the murder.  Then a historical artifact that is close to Carrie's heart, an ancient diary of a woman from the 1600's that was hanged because she was looked at as a witch.  Carrie read the diary and felt a closeness and protectiveness toward the woman and when it begins to get negative attention, she is on high alert.

Poor Dylan will have his hands full trying to keep Carrie safe while also giving her space to do what she feels she needs to do with both situations.  But if Dylan, and devoted readers, though that Carrie would ignore these things, they are terribly mistaken.  All we can do is sit and read and hang on for the ride and hope that Carrie is able to walk down that aisle with little wear and tear on her body if she gets in too deep.....

I was sadness to read in the Acknowledgments that this is the last book in the Haunted Library Mystery series.  I have grown to love this series and look forward to new books.  I understand that Allison wants to branch off and start new projects and I look forward to where she will go.  I, for one, know that whatever book she writes next will receive the attention and love it deserves and I will be on the lookout for it and hope to read it as soon as I possibly can .... I hope you will too !!!  Good luck Allison ..... I loved this series !!!

 

Dancing with Danger (Aloha Lagoon Book # 23) by Kimberly Griggs

What's a Southern Belle to do when she dreams of being a hula dancer? Move to Hawaii, of course!

Native Georgian Ruby Bell has her work cut out for her finding her niche among hip-swaying dancers of Kauai. But when she creates Hula Fit, a unique fusion of fitness and Hawaiian culture, she lands herself a job at the premier Aloha Lagoon Resort and Spa. Her class sparks attention from locals and vacationers alike, making Ruby feel she's finally found her bliss.

Unfortunately things go from delightful to downright deadly when Ruby discovers her new friend, Phoebe, strangled by a coconut bra in the back of Ruby's studio! With the local police investigating on "island time," Ruby fears it's up to her to find a killer, save her studio's reputation, and bring justice to her friend's memory. Navigating through a maze of deceit and betrayal, Ruby uncovers a cast of suspects more colorful than an island sunset, including a bodybuilder ex-boyfriend with a volatile temper, a troupe of senior citizens caught at a clothing-optional pool party, a jealous rival, an awkward admirer, and even the hunky owner of the local Smoothie Hut who seems to have his eye on Ruby.

Between blackmail, deception, and a mysterious box of incriminating photos, Ruby finds herself tangled in a deadly dance. Can she hula her way through the shadows and unmask the killer... before the music stops for good?  (Summary via Goodreads)

One of my favorite make believe places to visit is Aloha Lagoon Resort in Hawaii.  There are so many places to see and hang out at, plenty of delicious foods to eat and tasty adult beverages to consume, and a lot of new people to meet and hang out with .... just be careful you don't come across a dead body.  And with twenty-three books in the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series, I am sure you will want to stay as well.

Dancing with Danger is the twenty-third book and it is written by Kimberly Griggs.  This is her first book in the series and I can assure you it is only the beginning for her.

In Dancing with Danger we are introduced to Ruby Bell who moved to Hawaii from Georgia to follow her dream of being a hula dancer.  Unfortunately that dream has not come true yet so she is doing the next best thing and has opened up Hula-Fit and is helping natives and vacationers exercise with hula moves.

Seeing as Ruby is new to the island herself she hasn't made a lot of friends but she does have Phoebe who is becoming a friend.  The two will venture to the Rikki Tikki Smoothie Hut after class and talk.  However on one of their visits getting smoothies, Phoebe is acting wierd but brushes off Ruby's concerns.

Unfortunately when Ruby goes to meet Phoebe at Hula-Fit later that evening, Ruby finds Phoebe strangled on the floor of the costume closet.  

When Detective Ray announces that the fitness/dance center is closed until further notice, Ruby fears that she will be out of a job.  So she decides to look into Phoebe's death and luckily another soon to be close friend, Autumn, agrees to help.  The two bond instantly which Ruby realizes is something her and Phoebe didn't do.  As they begin to look into Phoebe's life and early death, she learns that she didn't know Phoebe at all !!

Readers cannot help but fall in love with the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series.  Each book is written by a different author and centers around a certain person and their career and life at or near the resort.  They all have a common denominator of Detective Ray and the fact that he works on island time does not bode well with the characters which always puts them in the middle of all the chaos.  No matter what book you pick up you will be a fan of this series immediately.  You will want to visit as many times as you can and it doesn't matter who you are rooming with.  

Check out the link to see everything you need to know about the books, the people and all the fun to be had !

https://www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com/aloha-lagoon-mysteries

A Poisonous Palate (A Key West Food Critic Mystery Book # 14) by Lucy Burdette

The heat is turned up for Hayley Snow and her friends in the next installment of the Key West Food Critic mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Lucy Burdette.

When food critic Hayley Snow receives an intriguing email about a mysterious, decades-old disappearance, her curiosity is piqued. Writer Catherine Davitt has returned to the Keys to research a book about Hemingway’s wives, but she’s also on the hunt for the truth about her missing friend. Hayley quickly agrees to help investigate and they hit the road to see what clues they might find.

Back in the late 1970s, Catherine and her friend Veronica were part of a group of lost souls camping in the mangroves of Big Pine Key, until Veronica vanished, and the sheriff’s office cleared out the camp. Catherine and Hayley begin interviewing Big Pine Key residents who were around at the time of Veronica’s disappearance, but uncover more questions than answers. 

Catherine and Hayley stop to speak with a motel owner who frequented the fringes of the commune, but they find him stabbed to death. Then Catherine also goes missing, and signs point to a connection between the old case and the new murder. It’s up to Hayley to unravel the knot of secrets and lies before time runs out.  (Summary via Goodreads)

How can readers not enjoy a book centered around food and family and so much more ?  The Key West Food Critic Mystery series by Lucy Burdette is just that and with A Poisonous Palate being the fourteenth book in the series, I think Burdette knows what she's doing.

In A Poisonous Palate main character Hayley Snow is enjoying life.  She loves living on Houseboat Row with her husband, Police Lieutenant Nathan Bransford and their dog and cat.  She loves living next door to her best friend and old roommate, Miss Gloria.  She loves her job working for Key Zest e-zine visiting local eateries, sampling the food and writing about it.   She loves spending time with her mother and her husband Sam.  And she won't lie if asked if she enjoys solving a murder or two.  

In A Poisonous Palate Hayley receives an email that she is about to delete but her curiousity gets the better of her and she reads it and is instantly intrigued.  A woman Catherine is writing to her to help her try to find out what happened to a friend of her's that went missing over forty years ago.  When the two where very young, they needed a change so they packed up a car and moved to Big Pine Key in Florida and met a bunch of other lost souls camping in an area and decided to pitch their tent for a while.  Unfortunately Veronica ends up going missing and Catherine goes to the police to report it and doesn't get much help.  Instead the police raid the camp and break it up.

Now all these years later Catherine is back and wants to find out what happened to her friend.  She enlists the help of Hayley and the two venture down to Big Pine Key to see if they can find anything out.  Sadly they discover one of the old camping crew stabbed to death in the hotel he owns which now piles on more questions.

Hayley doesn't know how much she can trust Catherine and knows that she isn't getting the entire story but knows she can't push her to talk.  Plus Hayley really needs to focus on her job, her husband, her friend's upcoming wedding, and her family and friends.  But we all know how Hayley is and once she is hooked, there is no turning back.

I thoroughly enjoy this series.  It has a special place in my heart because on a visit to my mom in Florida I was reading one of the books in this series and she showed an interest and read it when I was done.  We even made a yummy treat from one of the recipes from that book while I was there.  Sadly I lost mom a few years ago and miss her every minute of every day but when I open one of the books in this series, I feel like she is reading over my shoulder.  That is how books should be .... they make you feel.  I hope the Key West Food Critic Mystery series holds a special place in your life .......

Lawyers, Dogs, and Money (A Veronica Kildare K-9 Mystery Book # 2) by Tracy Carter

Veronica possesses a natural affinity for training dogs—and a passion for locating missing people. As "Lawyers, Dogs, and Money" unfolds, Veronica trains peanut allergy alert and prison contraband sniffing dogs—and joins her search and rescue colleague, a Deputy Sheriff for Boulder County, in trying to ascertain the source of threats against Kadri Ilves, a co-worker of Sgt. Donovan's daughter at a high-end import/export business. The woman being targeted is a native of Estonia and has a long history of advocating for social justice causes. As efforts to harm Kadri escalate in an alarming fashion, Veronica's team and Sgt. Donovan desperately attempt to pinpoint the person behind the threats.

Veronica's father assists the investigation by researching Kadri's background, including her work to end racial disparity in prison sentencing, and legal claims she has filed relative to disputed lands in Estonia. Has Kadri put herself in the crosshairs of the California branch of the Russian Mafia? Can Veronica and her canine partner, Leda, save Kadri before events turn deadly?  (Summary via Goodreads)

Even though Lawyers, Dogs and Money is only the second book in the Veronica Kildare K-9 Mystery series written by Tracy Carter I am a HUGE fan !!  I fell in love with the first book, Dogged Pursuit, and could not wait until future books were released .... and Carter did not disappoint ... not that I thought she would.

Dogged Pursuit was action packed and a thrilling ride for readers to take and Lawyers, Dogs and Money picks up with the excitement !!  As soon as you start reading, you are instantly back in the action with main character Veronica, her father and the rest of her crew, human and canine, and you will be on the edge of your seat !!

In Lawyers, Dogs and Money Veronica and her assistant Michael are working well at Dogged Pursuit K-9, the dog training facility in Colorado.  They are working with various dogs on a number of training sessions while Veronica's dad, Bob, does his thing with reviewing items helpful in the great outdoors as well as work investigatively when needed.

Veronica's friend and a recent client, Ricardo, calls with a concern.  His niece is working at an import/export facility and a co-worker seems like she may be in trouble.  Esmeralda also works with her friend, Jane, who is one of the daughters of Sgt. Tim Donovan.  Tim and his family have become very close with her, her dad and Michael as well as Ricardo and his family so Veronica knows they will jump at the chance to assist. 

A meeting is set up for everyone to sit down and get to know each other and see if they can help Kadri.  Unfortunately there are a lot of balls in the air around Kadri and what may be causing her to be anxious.  And before the team can get any headway Kadri is attacked in her home.  Bob does one of the things he does best and sets her house and property up with surveillance cameras and security measures.

Everyone has their regular jobs as well as added work helping Kadri but that is all taken in stride with this crew.  The more work that gets piled on the better they perform it seems !!!

There is so much to love with this series, and with only two books so far, you will be amazed at the level of love you will show !!  Just hanging out with Veronica and Michael while they work at the facility training the dogs would be enough for one person, or you could hang out with Bob while he does computer work, reviews all the gadgets and things he gets, or just sitting while he prepares meals for everyone.  Or you might enjoy hiking with Michael and his friends with all the various dogs if you like exercise.  Or maybe tagging along with Veronica and Leda when they go out on a call to detect drugs in certain workplaces.  Whichever you choose to do, you will have a grand ole time or just sit back with a tasty treat and a drink and read ..... you can't go wrong doing that !!