Grave Words ( Deadly Deadlines Mystery #2 ) by Gerri Lewis

In the second installment of the Deadly Deadlines mysteries, obituary writer Winter Snow faces her biggest challenge yet when the body of a homeless man is found in a burning building and her best friend is the main suspect; perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Kate Carlisle.

Winter Snow has had it! With her business in a death drought, her best friend Scoop implicated in a string of arsons, and an obituary listing Winter herself as deceased, her life is heating up. But just as she’s trying to cool things down, she receives her newest assignment: an obituary for Chester, a homeless man found in a burning building.

Promising the local funeral home manager that she will have the obituary by the deadline, Winter is stonewalled at every turn, failing to discover Chester’s last name, or where he came from. When it is discovered that Chester was murdered and that the fire was set to cover it up, all fingers immediately point to Scoop. Not only is Scoop a person of interest in the arsons, he was also the last person to see Chester alive.

As more nails are pounded into Scoop’s coffin, Winter’s uncle Richard hopes to help by inviting the notorious town gossips, The Nosy Parkers, to a neighborhood food fest. Unfortunately, the breadcrumbs they toss set murder in motion.

More determined than ever, Winter must figure out the twists and turns of the case to clear Scoop’s name, putting her on a deadly deadline to solve the murder and avoid meeting the same grave consequences. (Summary via Goodreads)

Grave Words is the second book in the Deadly Deadlines Mystery series written by Gerri Lewis.  This is the first book that I have had the pleasure of reading, although I can imagine the excitement that occurred in the first book, The Last Word.  Regardless whichever book you read, you will be swept up in the story immediately.

In the Deadly Deadlines Mystery series main character Winter Snow has a unique profession as an obituary writer.  She gets hired to help families by getting to know them as well as the person who died so that she can write a very personal and fitting obituary.  However when readers open Grave Words it seems that there is some confusion because an obituary that she wrote for a cliente was sent with Winter as the deceased person and not the over one hundred year old who did pass away.

Meanwhile while she is trying to work out that issue and get it fixed, it looks like her best friend Scoop is being looked at as the culprit in a few arsons in town.  And when, in the latest fire, a homeless man, Chester, is found, things don't look good for Scoop.  

Winter is asked by her friend Carla who works at the funeral home to write an obituary for Chester even though no one knows much about him and trying to get even his last name is going to be difficult.   And Winter's boyfriend Kip, who is a detective on the force, tries to get her not look for answers.

Besides the murders, arsons and Winter trying to do her job, which is another thing, there is a lot that will pull readers into the story.  You will love her close circle of family and friends.  You will love Winter's determination with her job making sure that every one of her obituaries is written so that whoever reads them will know the life that person lead. 

I cannot say enough about this story and this series to entice you to grab your copy and dig in.  I honestly feel that you will enjoy it !!!  Happy Reading !!!

Death of the Hula Girl (Aloha Lagoon Mystery Book # ) by Catherine Bruns

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a deadly dance in paradise!

After a brief brush with Hollywood and fame, Carrie Jorgenson is happy to be back in her adopted hometown of Aloha Lagoon, Hawaii, serving up pineapples and poi to her beloved regular customers and vacationing tourists alike at the Loco Moco Café. She's once again surrounded by good friends, her fur baby Benny, and reunited with her true love, Keanu.

But all is not perfect in paradise.

Shortly after Carrie's happy homecoming, Keanu’s gorgeous ex-girlfriend, Tammy, shows up for the Aloha Lagoon’s weekly luau, ready to hula dance her way into everyone’s hearts. Carrie can’t help but feel a little intimidated by her graceful moves and obvious charm. However, when Tammy collapses at the end of her dance, things go from awkward to awful. Suddenly the luau is a crime scene and everyone is a suspect in the death of the hula girl. To make matters worse, Tammy was holding a secret over Keanu’s head, which shoots him straight to the top of the suspect list. Carrie will need to stay cool, stand by her man, and prove his innocence before their lives erupt like a volcano!

Delicious Hawaiian recipes included!

What critics are saying

"This cozy series will hook you so you’ll want to read all that came before!"
~ Book review Crew

"You are going to want to visit Aloha Lagoon Resort as much as possible, and you will not want to leave!"
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

About Aloha
There's trouble in paradise...
Welcome to Aloha Lagoon, one of Hawaii's hidden treasures. A little bit of tropical paradise nestled along the coast of Kauai, this resort town boasts luxurious accommodation, friendly island atmosphere...and only a slightly higher than normal murder rate. While mysterious circumstances may be the norm on our corner of the island, we're certain that our staff and Lagoon natives will make your stay in Aloha Lagoon one you will never forget!  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Aloha Lagoon Mystery series published by Gemma Halliday Publishing is a GREAT series to read, enjoy, follow and fall in love with !!!  This series is written by multiple authors.  They have the resort and surrounding shops, restaurants, and other businesses in common as well as Detective Ray.  Then the author has their own story that they create with a slue of characters and businesses that they center around along with the murder .... 

Death of the Hula Girl is the twenty-fifth book in the series and the third one written by Catherine Bruns.  It centers around Carrie Jorgenson who moved to Kauai, Hawaii, to start a new life that was low on the drama side.  She gets a job waitressing at the Loco Moco Cafe where she meets Keanu Church.  Carrie has been living there for about a year and has a steamy relationship with Keanu, enjoys her job and has a small circle of friends.  

In Death of the Hula Girl Carrie has been away from the island to film a movie in Hollywood.  Yes, it's exciting but she realizes that thet isn't her big dream anymore.  She wants to be with Keanu doing what they have been doing.  Unfortunately before Carrie and Keanu can have their alone time, he is called back to the resort to help with the luau since the Loco Moco Cafe is supplying the food. Carrie goes along to help out but before the luau starts Carrie meets Tammy who insists that she is Keanu's girlfriend.  Tammy is there to perform with the hula dancers at the luau that night but wants to talk with Keanu.  

Carrie has nothing to worry about until Tammy ends up dead.  And yeah, you guessed it, Keanu is a suspect.  Luckily only for a hot minute.  But that doesn't stop Keanu and Carrie from looking into her death.  And to make things even better, Detective Ray is actually looking to them to help instead of his usual yelling at them to stay away !!  

As I have read every book in this series, and hope you have also or will be starting, there is so much to love about it.  I really wish the Aloha Lagoon Resort actually existed because this hate to travel girl would make an exception.

Check out the series, it has it's very own website !!

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

Sick as a Dog (A Veronica Kildare K-9 Mystery Book # 3) by Tracy Carter

Echoes of a past tragedy haunt Veronica Kildare as she and her talented search and rescue and drug detection dog, Leda, are drawn into an investigation surrounding odd fish and wildlife deaths in the Colorado wilderness by her friend, Kimana, an award-winning freelance investigative reporter. The mystery surrounding this backcountry region only deepens when Leda discovers the body of a dead woman in the area under scrutiny and the district wildlife manager is targeted in a devious attack.

While Veronica also trains a conservation canine and a 911 call center therapy dog who are desperately needed as service animals, and searches for lost hikers in peril, her entire team is soon involved in trying to uncover the identity of the murder victim and the reason for her violent death. Veronica and Leda tenaciously follow the trail of the criminals who have brutally disrupted the serenity of the Repentant River, and it eventually becomes clear that the ominous events originate from more than one source and the villains have far-reaching national and international connections. Can Veronica and her team decipher the sources of the evil that have turned the wilderness deadly in time to prevent further tragedy?  (Summary via Goodreads)

Author Tracy Carter is going to give me a heart attack !!  Sick as a Dog is the third book in her Veronica Kildare K-9 Mystery series and dang !!!  She knows how to write an amazing story that keeps readers on their toes, turning the pages as fast as they can.

Okay in Sick as a Dog readers get to see Veronica and her dynamo dog Leda in action immediately as they have been brought in to find a missing hiker.  They work well with everyone involved especially Sgt. Tim Donovan and Leda finds the missing hiker and they are able to get him to safety and on his way to the hospital.

Veronica and Leda have a great circle of people that are there for whatever situation comes their way.  They have Tim, his wife, Sylvia, and their two sets of twin girls plus Veronica's dad and her employee Michael who is like the brother she never had.  Oh and let's not forget all the dogs .... (Veronica owns Dogged Pursuit K-9, a dog training business)

Veronica is called by Kimana, a freelance investigative reporter, that Margo the district wildlife manager of a local area is looking into possible contamination that is running into a river killing the fish.  Little do they know the extent of the situation and how things unfold !!

I know that Veronica is not real and the peopleand the cases and situations did not happen but if it were true and there was a chance, I would totally be there to be a part of it all .... even though I am a cat person.

Not only does Veronica run her business with the help of her dad who has a house on the property and Michael who lives in an apartment in the training facility, but she is always called to assist in missing person cases, and as you will see in this book, other crazy cases.

There is so much that I could tell you and believe me I would love to but I think you need to read it for yourself so you can enjoy the rollercoaster ride !!!  But I will say this .... the way that Carter ends this story is opening up for the next book and I can almost guarantee that you will be as shocked as I was .... but if you have read the other two books, she has hinted at things and we knew it was only a matter of time.

 

  

A Pawsome Summer For Murder ( Samantha Davies Mystery Book # 7) by S.A. Kazlo

It's summer in Wings Falls, New York and Samantha Davies is geared up for the annual trout tournament sponsored by Al Gorman, owner of the Sport's Shop.  Sam, along with her Southern Belle cousin, Candie Parker-Hogan, are determined to beat the pants off their significant others, Sam's new fiancé, Hank Johnson, a detective on Wings Falls police force and Mark Hogan, Candie's husband. The ladies feel they have a secret weapon—they learned from the best fisherman in Hainted Hollar Tennessee, Grandpop Parker. Sam once won a trophy for the largest fish in the Fins and Tails Fishing Derby.

To Sam's surprise instead of reeling in the day's biggest catch, she "hooked" into the body of the town's most vocal activist, Luna Wheeler.

Raylene Carrigan, owner of a traveling doggie daycare Sam uses for her lovable dachshund, Porkchop, becomes a prime suspect, when it becomes known Luna tried to shut down the town's doggie park she depends on for the pets in her care. Since Sam has successfully helped solve murders in the past, Raylene begs her for help to prove her innocent.  Sam reluctantly agrees but knows her fiancé won't be happy with her involvement in yet another murder case.

Determined to help Porkchop's buddy, Sam starts digging for clues only to discover that Luna, with her over-zealous demands to many of the town's businesses to recycle, upset more than a few of her friends. Can Sam land Luna's murderer before she gets 'hooked' by the killer?  (Summary via Amazon)

A Pawsome Summer For Murder is the seventh book in the Samantha Davies Mystery series written by S.A. Kazlo and every time a new book is published I cannot wait to open the book and spend some time with Sam and her friends in Wings Fall.

A local business, Al's Sports Shop, is hosting a catch and release trout tournament.  When you catch a fish, if it worthy of winning, they take a picture and they return it to the river.  Sam and her cousin Candie have decided to make things interesting with their significant partners. Sam is engaged to Detective Hank Johnson and Candie is married to Mark, the Mayor of Wings Falls.  The bet was girls against boys and  whoever caught the biggest fish had to buy for dinner at The Smiling Pig.

Unfortunately when Sam hooks a dead body instead of a fish, the tournament ends.  On the end of Sam's hook is activist Luna Wheeler ... and she didn't end up in the river by accident, she was murdered.

Sam has "helped" the police in the past, only because she is curious and usually asked for help by someone on the suspect list.  So when Raylene, owner of Adirondack Pawfari doggie daycare, asks for help, Sam cannot say no.  After all Sam's dog Porkchop and Candie's dog Annie, love her, her doggy treats and spending time at the doggie park.

Sadly Sam and her side kick Candie soon find out that Luna harassed a lot of business owners as well as any animal related businesses.  So any one of them could be guilty ... but Sam cannot believe that they could have done it.

On a happier note .... We tend to focus on the murder but there are other things going on as well.  Mainly getting Sam to set a date for the wedding,  Sam has cold feet because her previous marriage ended with her husband cheating on her.  Although she knows that Hank would never do that, she still hesitates.  Luckily most of the suspects own businesses they need to hire for the wedding.  So she can do both.  Dang it we are back to the murder.

Well I guess I will end by suggesting you go and get your copy of A Pawsome Summer For Murder and spend some time with Sam and everybody in Wings Falls.  Kazlo ends this book with a crazy, surprising ending that will have you flabbergasted !!!