Mares and Murder( A Merry Wrath Mystery Book # 39) by Leslie Langtry

From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a hilarious mystery on a dude ranch full of surprises!

Hold your horses!

The end of summer still holds surprises when ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout leader Merry Wrath Ferguson gets an offer to take her troop of girls to a dude ranch in Colorado! Demon’s Point Dude Ranch is owned by a college friend who wants Merry’s troop to test the staff and trail ride. The girls are gung ho, rounding out the troop with goth girl Draconia and Future Espionage Agents of America member Ardith.

You can’t look a gift horse in the mouth…

The troop is really champing at the bit to go on the remote, three-day trail ride through the Rockies and find the abandoned gold mining camp hidden there, until disaster happens and they find themselves cut off from the rest of the world. When the only person who knows another way back ends up murdered, the group has to change horses in midstream to figure out how to get back to the ranch. Merry needs her horse sense to find the killer before Happy Trails turns into Murder Trails!

What critics are saying about Leslie Langtry's

"I laughed so hard I cried on multiple occasions! Girl Scouts, the CIA, and the Yakuza... what could possibly go wrong?"
~ Fresh Fiction

"The Merry Wrath Mystery series has so much to love, and it is so different from other cozy mysteries that you can't help but be drawn to it."
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

"Mixing a deadly sense of humor and plenty of sexy sizzle, Leslie Langtry creates a brilliantly original, laughter-rich mix of contemporary romance and suspense."
~ Chicago Tribune

"Langtry gets the fun started from page one."
~ Publisher's Weekly    (Summary via Goodreads)

I honestly do not know how authors do it .... Leslie Langtry is the author of the Merry Wrath Mystery series and Mares and Murder is the THIRTY-NINTH book in the series !!  What is there to say about a book or series when there are that many books ???

The Merry Wrath Mystery series is a very special and unique series, it has a lot of different things within it to make readers huge fans.  

You have the main character Merry along with her best friend Kelly running a Girl Scout troop with a group of girls since they were in kindergarten.  They are now in middle school and more grown up than either troop leader would like.  Betty, one of the girls, is the Mayor of Who's There and has been since she was eleven.  There are four girls names Kaitlyn, they look alike and will be major soccer players eventually.  They have Ava who will run businesses in the future, Lauren who talks to all the animals and Inez who is just off the charts crazy.  And recently they have added two additional girls to the group who may end up in the troop, Draconia (who is all about goth) and Ardith (who is a member of Betty's Future Espionage Agents of America club) if they can survive their latest debacle .....

In Mare and Murder the group is invited to Demon's Point Dude Ranch.  The ranch is owned by Merry's old friend from college, Jodie, and she invited them to come experience the ranch before it actually opens so they can work out any problems.

And boy will there be problems !!!  When the group goes on a trail ride for a few days, they find out a landslide took out the path they were to return on and then the woman that nobody liked on the ranch is found stabbed, they find themselves in a little bit of a pickle ..... with more things happened that make Merry and Kelly question their insanity and if they can get the troop out safely.

With thirty-nine books in this series, you know there are fans out there and if you aren't a fan yet, you have enough books to keep you going for a while.  There are so many things I love within this series but I think the thing I like the most is Lauren's ability to talk to the animals and how no one seems to question that .... so fun !!!

Before Her Last Breath (Sam Lawson Book # 6) by David K. Wilson

East Texas private detective Sam Lawson is in a race against time when his fiancé, Carla Davenport, is abducted by a notorious serial killer bent on revenge. 

Taunting Sam and the FBI, the killer reveals the exact time he will murder Carla. Sam watches helplessly as the FBI heads off on what he knows is a wild goose chase. Knowing he is Carla’s only hope, he enlists the help of actor Josh Cole, who had helped him on a previous case, and the two follow a twisted trail of clues they hope will lead them to the killer before it’s too late.
 
As the clock ticks, Sam’s actions grow increasingly desperate and risky. Will he be able to figure out where Carla is being kept? And can he get there in time to save her? This tightly woven mystery thriller is the sixth installment in the popular Sam Lawson Mystery series by David K. Wilson. Fast paced and gripping, it’s a suspenseful roller coaster ride you won’t want to end. Get your copy of Before Her Last Breath today.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Before Her Last Breath by David K. Wilson is the sixth book in the Sam Lawson Mystery series and you have to love the guy .... author and character.

In Before Her Last Breath Sam's fiancé is abducted from their home by his old partner who has been abducting and killing women for years.  Sam was able to save the last victim and thought he killed Mullen in the process, but they were all fooled and let down their guards leaving Mullen wide open to take Carla.

Now Mullen has Carla and Sam has to fight the clock to get to them and save her.  However, Mullen isn't going to make it easy.  Luckily Sam has some friends, one you wouldn't expect, who are going to do what they can to help him.

The chapters in Before Her Last Breath are broken down by time, with chapter one starting at Wednesday at 6:45 pm when Mullen takes Carla, Sam is on the scene at 7:15 pm when he realizes something isn't right.  Then the chapters break down the story giving readers the time working towards Sam's 8 pm deadline on Thursday.  By doing it this way author Wilson makes sure the reader is just as anxious as Sam and his crew.  And you can feel Carla's fear along with Mullen's sick way of thinking.

Before Her Last Breath is so, I don't even know what word to use to describe it, but once you open and begin reading, you are incapable as stopping as Sam is determined in the chase.  I read this book in the afternoon, stopped for dinner, then picked it right up again.  I had to know if Mullen's was stopped and Carla was safe before I could go to bed.  I know it sounds weird for a book, but, seriously, once you start, you CANNOT stop !!!!

Lies Lost and Found (A Lake Amelia Mystery series Book # 2) by Jacqueline Boulden

Someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

When Rose Webster discovers a hidden stash of money and a desperate note in her late father’s den, she’s pulled into a dangerous investigation that escalates the closer she gets to the truth. A photojournalist who’s sidelined by injury, Rose follows the trail of the whistleblower and uncovers the abuse of immigrant workers at a lakeside inn in the Adirondack Mountains. Rose is driven by a sense of justice and moral duty to stop the exploitation of the workers, but she can’t do it alone.

Kelsey Jacobs moved to upstate New York to flee her ex-boyfriend and get a fresh start. She first learned of the abuse of immigrants fifteen years earlier, but when Kelsey’s investigation led to threats against her life, she panicked and disappeared. Is Kelsey still alive? Can Rose track her down and enlist her help to expose a powerful business owner’s darkest crimes?

The deeper Rose digs, the clearer it becomes that her father’s sudden death may not have been natural. Now her determination to bring down the unscrupulous businessman is deeply personal as she tries to find out if he killed her father.

A gripping blend of mystery, sisterhood, and social justice, Lies Lost and Found is a compelling investigative howdunit set in the quiet but dangerous shadows of a small town.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Reading books should make the reader feel some kind of emotion, at least a good book should.  And boy does Lies Lost and Found by Jacqueline Boulden do exactly that !!  I had book anxiety reading it ... in a good way !!

Lies Lost and Found is the second book in Boulden's Lake Amelia Mystery series but you do not have to have read Family Ties Family Lies, the first book.  I would recommend reading it, only because it is a great read but it's not necessary if you don't, you will still know what is going on.  So, let's talk about the book ..... 

In Lies Lost and Found Rose has been staying in her parents' house due to her mom passing away recently and she is still recovering from an accident that resulted in surgery, so she is not able to work.  She has been slowly going through things and decides to clean her father's den (he passed years ago) when she finds a secret compartment in the bookcase with a note and ten thousand dollars.  The note is not signed and is not completely clear as to why the money other than to hope her father will continue the investigation.

Rose's dad had been an attorney helping working class and immigrant people so she wasn't sure why the person who wrote the note would have been in the danger they were in.

Kelsey, who wrote the note some fifteen years earlier, right before Rose's dad, her boss, died had been looking into some immigrant women who looked to be being mistreated by their bosses.  Unfortunately, she gets spooked and moves away hoping Randall, Rose's dad, will look into the case further.

Rose eventually locates Kelsey and Kelsey reluctantly ends up returning to Lake Amelia and the two end up uncovering more than they bargained for.  Luckily, they have Maxi, Rose's half-sister who is also a deputy sheriff, Mary who worked at the lawn firm plus Mary's husband Sam who is a private investigator to help with things because they ate going to need all the help they can get.

One thing I loved while reading Lies Lost and Found is that Boulden designates a chapter to Rose in the present time, then switches to Kelsey back in 2010 when things started.  It allows readers to really see the whole picture.  And the story is so intense that you will so engrossed in it that everything else around you will fade away.

A Poisonous Pour (A Cece Barton Mystery Book # 3) by Maddie Day

Since moving from L.A. to California’s verdant wine country, widowed single mom Cece Barton has gone from Colinas wine bar manager to wine bar owner—with a chaser of sleuthing . . .

It’s Memorial Day weekend and Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley is buzzing with activity. For Cece, business at Vino y Vida is going great, as is her romance with new beau, Benjamin. Meanwhile, Cece’s neighbor, Richard Flora, is stirring up controversy with his newest article, an exposé of Regan Greene, power-hungry chair of a valley district organization. Also in the mix is the town’s upcoming big classic car show, paired with wine tastings . . .

Cece is concerned the tastings will cut into her holiday weekend profits—until she and her mechanic, Josie Jarvin, are asked to co-sponsor a booth. . . . At the show, Cece spots Regan Greene, who is displaying her restored green ’72 Thunderbird convertible. As Cece pours tastes, she witnesses several heated discussions with Regan—including an argument with wine afficionado and new Colinas hardware store owner Greg Jardis. Otherwise, all goes smoothly—until Sunday brings shocking news. Regan has been murdered . . .

Rumors fly that Richard may have orchestrated the homicide—or even committed it. But Cece knows that’s absurd. And others in Cece’s orbit seem to have discomfiting connections to Regan, from Cece’s employee, Dane, to her winemaking teacher’s sister, Yolanda, to Colinas Mayor Guittierez. And after Yolanda visits the wine bar, Benjamin says he recognizes her from a road race.

Determined to clear Richard’s name, and failing to extract any clues from detectives, Cece once again enlists her twin, Allie, as her partner-in-sleuthing. But they’ll have to act quickly, before the trail goes sour . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

Even though the Cece Barton Mystery series by Maddie Day is about murder, I can't help but think I could do without the murder and just hang out with Cece and friends at her wine bar, Vino y Vida .... but the murder keeps readers on their toes so I will be also.

A Poisonous Pour is the third book in this series, and you will fall in love, if you aren't already.  

The story starts with Cece and her friend Jo attending a vintage car show paired with wine tasting.  Jo is there with her classic truck as well as promoting her automotive business while Cece is there with her vintage Mustang as well as providing tasting and selling the wine she has at her wine bar.  

While at the event Cece witnesses a woman having heated talks with multiple people, one being her employee, Dane. She learns that the woman, Regan Greene, is the director of the Alexander Valley District Association which is to support businesses and monitor county functions to prevent corruption.

Cece decides to learn more about Regan out of curiosity as well as the AVDA until she learns that Regan died and it looks like it was murder.  And when she finds out that her elderly neighbor and friend, Richard, is on the suspect list, her determination to uncover the murderer becomes top on her to do list.

Readers cannot help but enjoy this series.  And I say enjoy because you are hanging out with a fun-loving woman, her two cats, her eclectic group of friends, at some nice businesses.  You are hanging out at Cece's wine bar, her friend's diner and another's art gallery, the playground with her twin nephews or her backyard with the cats and Richard.  You will love her determination to solve the murder so that she can go back to enjoying life.   

I highly recommend grabbing a glass of wine or cup of coffee and a snack while you escape to Colinas  ....

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The Bush Tea Murder (A Caribbean Island Mystery Book # 1) by Ashley-Ruth Bernier

Culinary journalist Naomi Sinclair is cooking up a maelstrom of trouble upon her return to the blue waters of her native Saint Thomas.

A new cozy mystery set in the US Virgin Islands, this charming amateur sleuth will enrapture readers of Joanne Fluke and Carrie Doyle.

Food journalist Naomi Sinclair doesn’t expect a side of murder with her passion fruit juice. But when her return to Saint Thomas heralds a series of troubling cases, ranging from petty theft to cold-blooded murder, that threaten her tight-knit community, that is exactly the kind of unsavory treat she must sink her teeth into.

Luckily for her neighbors, Naomi is as adept at solving puzzles as rolling johnnycake dough—a good thing, since her island community, though small, keeps serving up plenty of trouble. With the help of her friends and her crush, Mateo, Naomi must navigate the tumultuous turquoise waters of life in the Caribbean, all as her beloved father battles an illness that keeps tugging her back to her island amid her rising career stateside.

Rich with mouthwatering recipes, lush landscapes, and a hefty dose of fun under the sun, The Bush Tea Murder has all the ingredients to make up the perfect beach read.  (Summary via Goodreads)

I'm always excited when I have the chance to read a book by a new author or a book in a new series and I had both with The Bush Tea Murder, the first book in the Caribbean Island Mystery series by Ashley-Run Bernier.  I was very excited to be spending time on an island with Naomi, her friends and lots of mouthwatering dishes and drinks.  But sadly, I was disappointed and had a difficult time finishing the book.

When I read and review a book, whether I liked it or not, I always let readers know what I did like within the story.  I want to be honest and truthful and just because the book wasn't for me, doesn't mean it won't be for others.

In The Bush Tea Murder main character Naomi, who has a television show centered around food, is approached to host a different show.  She along with another co-worker, is given a year to provide a first episode for a television show regarding a cold case murder that has food involved.  She instantly knows the case she wants to showcase so she sets her sites on that and returns to St. Thomas to begin her research, interviews and investigation.

The story goes in a lot of different directions.  Sometimes readers are back at the television station offices where she is presenting her story, then it jumps to back to a certain time in the past year.  During that time, she finds herself instrumental in solving some smaller present cases as well as the case she is working on.  

Naomi also learns that her father has been ill and she tries to be there for that and then there is Mateo, I think he is what got me through the book.  Their relationship is awesome !!

Okay..... The Bush Tea Murder is categorized as a cozy mystery and although there is no strict definition of it, the main rule of thumb seems to be that the story contains no graphic violence and generally no swearing or sex.  In The Bush Tea Murder there was quite a bit of cursing throughout.  The only reason I kept reading is that the worst swear word was NOT used.  I have been reviewing cozy mysteries for over 10 years and have had this problem less than 10 times, so I think I am doing pretty good.  However, I do know that cursing can be a turn off for some readers.

Even though I was not a fan of this book, I don't want you to take just my word for it.  Please read other reviews and maybe begin reading it yourself if it sounds like something you will enjoy.  I never listen to others' opinions when it comes to a movie I want to see and I refuse to read reviews on them so take that into consideration.

A Change in Plans (The Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series Book 17) by Mike Martin

A quiet afternoon. A deadly hit-and-run. And a case that reaches far beyond Newfoundland’s shores.

RCMP officer Winston Windflower is looking forward to a rare afternoon off in Grand Bank. But when a routine hit-and-run quickly turns into a murder investigation, Windflower finds himself pulled into something far more dangerous than anyone expected.

What begins as a local tragedy soon reveals a trail of fentanyl, money, and bodies stretching across provincial lines. Windflower assembles a team of Mounties from Newfoundland and Labrador and joins forces with police in southern Ontario to dismantle an international drug-smuggling ring operating in the shadows.

But the case turns deeply personal when fellow Mountie Fil Romano is kidnapped. As negotiations unfold and higher-ups at HQ consider granting safe passage to powerful drug lords in exchange for Romano’s life, Windflower faces one of the most difficult moments of his career. Trust the system or trust his instincts. With time running out and lives on the line, Windflower must lean on his team, his training, and the steadfast support of his family and community. Because in Grand Bank, loyalty runs deep and no one gets left behind.

In Book 17 of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, bestselling author Mike Martin delivers another compelling read with small-town warmth and high-stakes investigation, where food is shared, friendships are tested, and courage is measured not just in action but in heart.

Sgt. Windflower Mysteries
Bestselling and Award-Winning Light Mysteries

#1 Best-selling Cozy Mystery on Amazon
Winner of the Bony Blithe Award for Best Light Mystery
Silver Medallist at the Reader’s Choice Awards
Shortlisted for LOLA 2024 Must-Read Book of the Year

★★★★★ Praise for the Best-Selling and Award-Winning Sgt. Windflower Mysteries ★★★★★

“Both longtime fans of Sgt. Windflower and new readers alike will find themselves captivated by this compelling blend of small-town life and crime-solving adventure.”
~ The Reading Room

“I enjoy visiting with Windflower and his lovely family, the beautiful and peaceful area they live in and the closeness of the people there with each other. It feels like going home again each time I visit with these characters.”
~ Jem’s Books

“Martin’s detailed origin stories help readers understand the unique relationships without referencing previous novels and the dialogue feels original as he expertly captures the essence of an investigation within a close-knit community. The detective sequences will attract crime genre enthusiasts due to their meticulous attention to detail.”
~ Readers’ Favorite  (Summary via Goodreads)

A Change in Plans is the seventeenth book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series by Mike Martin and even though this series is set in Grand Bank, a small town in Canada and I live in New York in the United States, I always feel like I'm home when reading these books.  The town and the people are so familiar to me that I thoroughly enjoy my time while the book is open ... and if I'm being honest, I'm always a little sad when I finish the book.

In A Change in Plans main character Sgt. Windflower is, as always, busy with his job and his home life but you won't hear him complaining too much about either.  While he is enjoying a little alone time picking berries so his wife, Sheila can bake something yummy, he gets interrupted with a call from an employee to report a hit and run at a local Walmart.  This hit and run will eventually take him and his team into something much bigger.

After the victim of the hit and run dies, she is linked to someone in town that gets himself into some hot water that ends up boiling over when drugs and a significant amount of money is found in his house.  Windflower's team is very good at their jobs and before long they have uncovered a lot more than they expected but they will handle it like the champs that Windflower knows them to be.

Even when Windflower is under pressure, he seems so cool and collected, and residents of Grand Bank and the surrounding areas will be safer because of that.  He always makes sure of that.

Readers cannot help but enjoy this series.  Even though there are some nail biting, adrenaline pumping things going on, it is balanced out by the personal parts of the story.  Yes, Windflower could be chasing down a killer or a drug dealer, but he is always grounded with his wife and two daughters, his friends and his community.  I personally enjoy when he does his smudging and reconnects with his deceased Auntie and Uncle and gives back to the earth.

One piece of advice that I will give readers, which I probably have in the past, is make sure you have a snack handy when reading this series.  Martin loves his food and sharing it with readers.  I, for one, am planning on having fish for dinner tonight because of that.

The Long Shadow of Murder (A Will Rees/Shaker Mystery Book # 12) by Eleanor Kuhns

When the body of a visitor is found in the woods by the local Shaker community, suspicion immediately falls on them. Rees is reluctant to believe anyone in this peaceful community committed murder. And Hans Bergin arrived with his wife, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They had their own reasons to want Bergin dead.

But as Rees investigates, he discovers everyone, including a recent Shaker convert, have secrets of their own, some stretching all the way back to the Revolutionary War.

Who, among the many suspects, decided to take matters in their own hands? Bergin's wife and other family? The new Shaker? Or someone else entirely?  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Long Shadow of Murder by Eleanor Kuhns is the twelfth book in her Will Rees/Shaker Mystery series and regardless of if this is your first time opening one of the books in this series, it won't be your last.

Yes, all of the books in this series revolve around a murder but in The Long Shadow of Murder readers will have to help Rees, his wife Lydia and Constable Rouge solve more than one this time.

In The Long Shadow of Murder Rees and Constable Rouge are called to look into the disappearance of a man visiting and staying at a local boardinghouse with his wife, sister-in-law and brother-in-law.  They are told the gentleman went out to the Shaker community to attend their Sunday service to see the "naked women dance".

But when he did not return, they were called in to find him ... and they did murdered and hidden under brush and leaves.  

Usually, the Constable and Rees do not work well together but in this one, they will have to seeing as the murdered victim is not from the area and it seems no one living there would have any reason to want him dead.  But when another person is found murdered in the same way, Rees will look to his very pregnant wife, Lydia, to help out.  She seems to always see things the men overlook.

The Will Rees/Shaker Mystery series is so captivating.  Seeing as this series takes place way before electricity, cell phones and computers, it is interesting to see how the cases are solved as well as how the characters lived.  You will definitely finish these books having learned something and that is just an added bonus.