Book Review: Death of a Bride and Groom by Allan J. Emerson

When the body of writer Iris Morland is discovered in full bridal array atop a giant wedding cake parade float, the little resort town of Honeymoon Falls is left reeling. Not only is its reputation as "the Romance Capital of the World" at risk, its very survival is threatened. Murder, it seems, has a chilling effect on those considering venues for potential nuptials. 

Iris enjoyed betrayal, which makes half the people in town potential suspects. Among them is her husband, Kenneth, enraged after discovering her liaison with television host Arnold Reifel. Arnold's wife, Marjorie, was seething because Iris had turned Marjorie's interior decoration schemes into a very public humiliation. Then there's haughty French film auteur, Pierre Blondin, in town filming Iris's novel. Did Iris trigger his murderous wrath by opposing a nude scene featuring ninety-five-year-old actress Hermione Hopkins?

Captain Will Halsey, head of Honeymoon Falls' three-person police force, must find the killer among Iris's host of enemies. And he'll have to do it while coping with small-town politics, feuding among his subordinates, and the ferocious attentions of the media.[via Amazon]

I love small towns. They are one of the reasons I come back to cozy mysteries more than any other kind of mysteries. The picturesque small town, where all the murder and mayhem happens always intrigues me. This was part of the reason that I adored Death of a Bride and Groom so much. It is set in Honeymoon Falls', a small town with the reputation of being the "Romantic Capital of the World". What could possibly happen here? Well the murder of Iris Morland to start with, and a lot of mayhem to follow!

From the first chapter, Allan J. Emerson captured my attention and didn't let go until I turned the last page. I loved all the host of characters that are suspects, so many of them colorful and interesting, and I had a hard time trying to pick out who the murderer was!

If you're looking for a fresh new series to enjoy over the summer, I wouldn't hesitate in recommending a new voice in Canadian mysteries. Allan J. Emerson will wow readers with this fast-paced cozy mystery, with characters so memorable that you'll be looking forward to another return to Honeymoon Falls.

Review by Anna M.

Audiobook Review: Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House

I love Agatha Raisin! She makes life in the country seem very exciting and she's always up to something. This time Agatha and her new neighbour, Paul, are investigating a haunted house. When the mean old lady that owns the house ends up dead, Agatha and Paul are sure it is murder and start to investigate.

Agatha has such spirit, but she is also a romantic and looks to Paul to be her next love. Of course Paul is married and is just toying with her. She deserves so much better, and I was happy to see Sir Charles Fraith also get in on the action too. When it comes to her love life I know she is not suited for James Lacey and I hope maybe Sir Charles will continue to be in her life.

Romance aside this was a really fun mystery, that delved into the history of the Cotswold. Agatha continues to bumble along until she has the case solved and her never-ending spirit and determination kept me interested.

I love Penelope Keith's narration. She's one of my favorite narrators and the true voice of Agatha Raisin. I'm looking forward to picking up the next Agatha Raisin mystery. 

Purchase Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House by M.C. Beaton at Audible, Amazon.

Audiobook Review: Murder of a Needled Knitter by Denise Swanson

I can’t imagine anything worse than going on your honeymoon with your MOTHER! Okay maybe going on your honey with a murderer on the same cruise ship! Well in Skye Denison-Boyd’s latest adventure she has both on her honeymoon. Her mother is on the same cruise ship as Skye and Wally and there is also a murderer on board.

I liked Denise Swanson’s new book for a number of reasons. Firstly I love Scumble River and Skye and Wally. I’ve been reading these books for a long time and I’m glad to see Skye getting her happy ever after with Wally. Even if there honeymoon did include her mom, Mae. There is more interactions with Skye, Wally and her parents, Mae and Jed, then I’ve ever seen before. This of course happens when you’re stuck on a ship together. I love how Wally stands up for Skye, and we all know Mae is the kind of woman that it can be hard to get a word in!!

I’ve also wanted to take a crochet cruise. It looks so relaxing to crochet on the water and visit new places. Mae and Jed are part of a knitting cruise group and it is anything but relaxing, especially with one of their own meeting her death. It turns out not all knitters are the peaceful, grandmotherly type!

Murder of a Needled Knitter was a great adventure on the seas, and I liked watching Skye and Wally working together to solve the mystery! It was a tangled web and it left me guessing right until the end.

I chose to listen to Murder of a Needled Knitter in audiobook format. It was my first time listening to Christine Leto narrate and it was a really enjoyable experience. I definitely will pick up future books in this series on audio. I love being able to knit and crochet while I listen, and Christine has a great voice to tell the ups and downs of a cozy mystery.

Murder of a Needled Knitter was a great listen and I can’t wait to find out what is in store for Skye and Wally in their married life, when they return to Scumble River.

Purchase Murder of a Needled Knitter by Denise Swanson at Audible, Amazon.

Book Review: The Colony Cat Caper by Patricia Fry

Here at Cozy Mystery Book Reviews the one thing we all have in common is our love of cats. We have a soft spot for dogs too, but we really LOVE felines! So when a new book crosses our desks we all clamor to be the first one to read it. After all mysteries and cats just go hand in hand. Patricia Fry’s mysteries definitely have a cat as their focus… a klepto cat named Rags. Together with Savannah, Rags provides plenty of enjoyment in this fifth book in the series.

The mystery focuses heavily on the Hammond Cat Alliance and their involvement in helping with the feral cats in the area, which of course brings in the mysterious old building. I really enjoyed the way Patricia Fry has weaved the elements of mystery with the serious side of animal welfare, and the care of the feral cats. The Hammand Cat Alliance warmed my heart with all they do to help cats.

The Colony Cat Caper was my first introduction into the lives of Savannah, Rags and the other folks in town. I was able to quickly pick up the story, and I was glued to each page with intrigue as the mystery unfolded. For me, the Klepto Cat mysteries is a hidden gem, and I’m glad I’ve now got four other books in the series to go back and enjoy. I can’t wait to find out what other adventures Rags has gotten up to!!

Check out Patricia Fry's books on Amazon.

Book Review: The Moonglow Cafe by Deborah Garner

Prior to reading The Moonglow Cafe, I read Above the Bridge, Deborah Garner’s first novel in this series. Above the Bridge gave me a insightful look into this series and into the life of Paige MacKenzie as she arrives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I enjoyed the mystery and I was excited to see what adventure Deborah Garner would take the characters on next.

In The Moonglow Cafe, Paige and cowboy, Jake, are back with another mystery to solve. This time Paige is in Manhattan to write a story on sapphire mining. With Jake nearby in Jackson Hole, she’s not expected murder and mystery, but that is exactly what she finds. Paige finds a hidden diary and with her natural reporter instincts she’s soon on the trail of this mystery.

I really love Deborah Garner’s writing style. She paints a vivid picture of the isolated mining town and the quirky characters in the town. The mystery kept me on the edge of the seat, madly flipping the pages faster, eager to find out how it would end.

I read a lot of indie cozy mysteries and The Moonglow Cafe is definitely one of my favourites this year. I enjoyed letting Deborah Garner whisk me away to Montana for an afternoon of adventure and I can’t wait to see what Paige gets up to next.

Check out Deborah Garner's books on Amazon.

Book Review: Ill-Gotten Panes by Jennifer McAndrews

In her debut series Jennifer McAndrews delivers a stunning mystery, with a flaming red-headed heroine that readers are not going to forget in a hurry...

Georgia Kelly has packed up her life in New York City, complete with a job loss and departing fiance, and is heading home to Wenwood, New York, to live with her grandfather, until she figures life out. In Wenwood she finds a quiet life. That is until a local is killed and the police point their finger at Georgia's grandfather. With Grandy about to be arrested for murder, Georgia and her new friend, Carrie, set about trying to find the real killer.

I love new series and as a reader, I'm lucky in that many new series are published every month for me to try. I instantly warmed to this new sleuth, Georgia Kelly, within the first few pages of Ill-Gotten Panes. She has fiery red uncontrollable hair and her hair certainly matches her personality. In no time at all she's getting herself buried deep within a murder investigation.

In this first mystery we meet Georgia, her grandfather, Grandy, and her new friend, Carrie, who owns a antique store. She enlists Georgia to help her repair a Tiffany lamp, and through this we learn more about Georgia's hobby of stain glass. It's not a hobby that I know much about it and I found it fascinating. Alike to Georgia I use craft as therapy, and I it's nice to read that I'm not the only one. Crafting can be very therapeutical!

The mystery was a great whodunnit. While I did guess early on who the murderer was, it wasn't until the last minute that I had tied everything up together. It was cleverly crafted and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Wenwood was such a delight to visit. Between the locals, Georgia's new companion in the form of a cute, little, white kitten named Friday and the adventure of a murder mystery I had a splendid time with this first mystery and I can't wait to see what Jennifer McAndrews has on offer next.

Check out Jennifer McAndrew's books on Amazon.

Book Review: Silence of the Lamb's Wool by Betty Hechtman

Casey Feldstein has her hands full yet again with baking, yarning and solving a murder. Casey is continuing on with yarn retreat business she inherited. While she didn't begin as a knitter nor crocheter she's learning more about yarn and enjoying the retreats. This new retreat will be fantastic as she plans to even include sheep shearing and spinning!! However when the retreat's teacher is found dead, and the death is declared a suicide, the retreat looks like it might just fall apart. It's up to Casey to pick up the pieces and solve the crime. With Casey at the helm it's going to be one yarn retreat no-one will forget.

I love to crochet so early on I picked up Betty Hechtman's crochet series and instantly became a fan for life! I like the way she weaves elements of crafting with the mystery so seemlessly. I always finish one of her mysteries satisfied that I've not only enjoyed the mystery but picked up for a tips for the crafter in me too!!

In this new series Casey is as beginner of a knitter as you can get. She doesn't even have a yarn stash (yet!)! She is enjoying running the retreats and learning along the way. She also has a insatiable curiousity! Part of the reason I enjoy following Casey's adventures is because I really like reading about each retreater's journey into knitting and crochet. They are all at different skill sets and through the story I almost feel like I'm right there, alongside them, taking part in the projects and building friendships in only a way that yarn can.

Yarning aside, Betty Hechtman delivers a delightful mystery in this latest instalment. What first appears to be suicide, clearly is murder and I enjoyed watching Casey put her "detective shoes" on and solve the crime. Fans of Betty Hectman's earlier mysteries won't be disappointed with this one. In my opinion, it's one of her best and I'm looking forward to seeing where she takes Casey and her friends next.

If you haven't read this series yet I highly recommend giving it a go. The mystery will delight you and afterwards you'll be itching to start a knitting or crochet project of your own!

Check out Betty Hechtman's books on Amazon.

Audiobook Review: Agatha Raisin and the Deadly Dance by M.C. Beaton

Agatha Raisin, amateur sleuth extraordinaire, has decided to start up her own detective agency. At first things are slow going with lost cats. However soon she hires her new neighbour, Emma Comfrey, as her secretary and her friend, Sir Charles, refers a case to her. A Mrs Laggart-Brown wants her to investigate the death threats her daughter has received. As Agatha and her detectives investigate they discover a tangle of relationships and murder, as they try to get to the bottom of it.

I’m smitten with Agatha Raisin. She’s sassy, funny and I love that she is now a detective – officially! Cozy mystery series with their amateur detectives poking their nose into things can sometimes get very long-winded, so it’s refreshing to see a series that has gone from amateur to official detective and thus gives Agatha a reason to poke her nose into things!!

I enjoyed the mystery a lot, but perhaps what I enjoyed more was Sir Charles Fraith being around, and James Lacey not. James Lacey is Agatha’s ex-husband, who went off to be a monk and then disappeared. He’s barely even mentioned in Agatha Raisin and the Deadly Dance and as I’m firmly on Team Charles I was completely fine with this! I have a feeling that M.C. Beaton will be making him pop up sooner or later though.

Penelope Keith is the voice of Agatha Raisin for me. I really enjoyed Penelope’s acting career, being such a big fan of british tv, and I’m glad she’s voicing these audiobooks. I love the voices she provides, especially the caring tones she puts in her voice for Mrs Bloxby, who is perhaps Agatha’s greatest friend. I hope Penelope Keith continues to provide the voice for these audiobooks for many years to come, because both Penelope and Agatha herself are the reason I keep coming back to listen to more.

Purchase Agatha Raisin and the Deadly Dance by M.C. Beaton at Audible, Amazon.

Audiobook Review: Tarnished & Torn by Juliet Blackwell

Lily Ivory is a witch and owner of a vintage store called Aunt Cora’s Closet. In her time in San Francisco she’s gotten into plenty of trouble. However trouble is heading her way like never before. This time in the form of her father and what could likely be a fire demon!! It all starts innocently enough when she goes to a fair and meets a German lady selling antique jewellery. She’s interested in what she has to offer and suspects that she might also be a witch. Her suspicions are confirmed when the lady turns up dead, pressed between wood with cinder blocks on top. The “pressing” is a old form of torture against witches, which Lily has only heard of. Due to the nature of her death, Detective Carlos calls on Lily to help out and this starts one adventure that Lily nor her friends will forget in a hurry.

I fell in love with this series when I first read Secondhand Spirits. I love Lily as she not just tries to solve mysteries, but also learns what it is like to live in San Francisco and have friends nearby. She was shunned from her own mother and her hometown for being a witch. However her life in San Francisco is pretty great… well except for the murders and the fact that her one-time lover, Sailor, has disappeared.

What I love the most about Tarnished and Torn and this series as a whole, is it is never dull and boring. There is always a lot happening but Juliet Blackwell doesn’t leave readers lost and unable to connect the dots. It is more than just a cozy mystery, with the paranormal elements and more-than-meets-the-eye characters. In Tarnished and Torn we finally meet Lily’s father, who abandoned her as a baby. We discover more about their relationship (or lack there of) and perhaps more about how Aidan feels about Lily. Fans of this series will definitely enjoy some of the sub-plots that have continued on from the previous books.

For me, Xe Sands is the voice of this series. Her portrayal of the characters is beyond amazing. I particularly love the depth she gives to Lily’s familiar, Oscar. Oscar is part gargoyle, part goblin and appears a pot-bellied pig. His suggestion on how to solve the case was to hire Miss Marple, and is aghast to find out that she doesn’t exist and is made up! This scene alone had my laughing until I cried!! After having experienced the previous books as audiobooks I know I will definitely be continuing on with the series in audiobook format only. I wouldn’t hesitate recommend this series to mystery fans and also paranormal fans. It’s not one to be missed!

Check out Tarnished & Torn by Juliet Blackwell on Audible, Amazon.

Listen to a Sample of Tarnished & Torn by Juliet Blackwell, narrated by Xe Sands:

Audiobook Review: In a Witch's Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell

Witch and vintage clothing store owner, Lily, has a knack for getting herself into "interesting situations". For what starts out as a lovely evening out with fellow witch, Aidan Rhodes, ends up in a mystery when a lady at the Art Deco Ball collpases and Lily thinks foul witchy play is involved!! When Detective Carlos asks for Lily's help with the death of a witch, Tarregan Dark Moon "Tara", Lily thinks the two may be connected. As she delves further into another coven she discovers some very evil magic at play.

I like the Witchcraft mysteries because they are always unexpected!! Lily's life is never boring. Besides the main mystery there is always a lot going on and I never finish reading one of these and think it was dull. For all the things that Lily is, she certainly isn't dull. In this one Lily gets to go to a fancy ball, try to untangle a murder case and help Miriam, who collapsed at the ball and is in a coma!! If that isn't enough there is also her love life. Definitely not dull.

Lily is a interesting character. She was chased out of her hometown by witch hunters and hasn't gotten close to anyone. Even her own mother doesn't like that she's a witch. But she's settling into a good life now, with her vintage clothing store and making friends with fellow witches. I like watching her life evolve, as she becomes happier with herself and her place in San Francisco.

The Witchcraft Mysteries are truly magical. They are everything I love about magical cozy mysteries are more than just a murder mystery! I'm excited to start the next one.

I listened to In a Witch's Wardrobe with the narration by Xe Sands and I can only use one word to describe her narration... flawless. She is the voice of Oscar, Lily's familiar, to me and her narration is part of the reason I love this series so much. If you like audiobooks I suggest trying this series on audio.

Check out In a Witch's Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell at Audible, Amazon.