A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen

A cranky widower and his spirited caregiver team up to solve his neighbor’s murder in this charming and original mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

Once a globe-trotting anthropologist, Harry Lancaster is now certain that all his grand adventures are behind him. Recently widowed and suffering from a fractured hip, Harry spends his days and nights behind a pair of binoculars, nose-deep in his neighbors’ affairs. His millennial caregiver, Emma, is determined to get him out of his armchair and back into the world.

Fate intervenes when Harry’s mysterious neighbor Sue phones, pleading for help. But instead of rescuing her, Harry and Emma find Sue dead: poisoned, days after a break-in at Sue’s house. Harry resolves to find out what happened, and Emma insists on going along for the ride. Together, they discover motives and suspects abound in Harry’s quaint condominium community—putting them both in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.

Readers of Kristen Perrin and Deanna Raybourn will be charmed by this quirky, cross-generational murder mystery.  (Summary via Goodreads)

I had so much fun reading A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen.  I did not want it to end.  You cannot help but fall in love with Harry and Emma.

In A Field Guide to Murder main character Harry is recovering from injuring his hip from a fall and he has Emma as his temporary caregiver.  Harry lives on Lakeview Lane with a cast of colorful and fun neighbors.  Unfortunately, one day one of his neighbors, Sue, calls him and is having trouble talking and breathing.  Luckily Emma is there so she rushes over to help until the paramedics arrive.  Sadly, it is too late and Sue passes away.  But Harry believes that she said she was poisoned during the distressing phone call.

When the detective informs Harry that Sue's death is ruled an accident and closes the case, Harry knows that something isn't right.  It takes a while but eventually Emma comes around to that conclusion also and the two team up and begin investigating the neighbors. During this investigating harry learns that he doesn't know his neighbors like he thought he did.

Emma, who was a critical care nurse but needed a change so she went into the caregiving job, is having some personal issues that are weighing heavily on her.  Harry doesn't want to overstep so he tries to help in his own unique way.

I love Harry and Emma together and hope that they continue working together or at least keep their friendship going.  They complimented each other very well throughout the story.  Getting to know them as well as the neighbors on Harry's street was fun and having the murder case centralized helped me keep track of things.  I look forward to whatever Cullen comes up with next.

Mastermind for Murder (A Merry Wrath Mystery series Book # 38) by Leslie Langtry

From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a laugh-out-loud story of spies, spoofs, and sleepers cells in middle America!

When one of the girls in ex-CIA spy turned Girl Scout leader, Merry Wrath Ferguson's, scout troop insists that there’s a sleeper cell in Who’s There, Iowa, Merry laughs it off. After all, she was an actual spy! What would a middle school kid know about things like that? Of course, the fact that it’s Betty, the most dangerous thirteen-year-old on the planet, does give Merry a little pause. But seriously, in a town of about five thousand people, a group of foreign terrorists would stand out…right?

Or so she thinks, until the CIA quietly asks Merry and her former handler Riley to look into it. It doesn’t help that inept-beyond-all-belief FBI agents Summer and Winter (yes, their real names) are also looking into it, or that Merry’s buddy, CIA assassin Hilly, plays hooky from an assignment to help out—by sending the hapless Abed (CIA flunkie and Girl Scout cookie junkie) to float the flounder in her place. Still, Merry thinks this is nothing more than a wild goose chase until a mysterious, elderly woman is murdered. Now, Merry has second thoughts and finds herself in a race to unravel the woman’s past and find the sleeper cell, before she becomes the next target.

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

"Darkly funny and wildly over the top, this mystery answers the burning question, 'Do assassin skills and Girl Scout merit badges mix…?'"
~ RT BOOKreviews

"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)

When there are thirty-eight books in a series, is there really anything to say ? Obviously, this author and this series is a success ..... 

The series that I am referring to is the Merry Wrath Mystery series and the author is Leslie Langtry.  And she has just released Mastermind for Murder which is the thirty-eighth book in this series. 

I'll be honest I have not read all of the books in this series, but I have read enough to know that this is a unique and fun series, and I can see why people are drawn to it.  And you can bet that I will continue reading it as best as I can.  Now let's talk about the insides of the books ...

In Mastermind for Murder main character Merry Wrath, who is an ex-CIA agent married to Rex, who is a detective, and runs a Girl's Scout Troop with her best friend Kelly is looking for a sleeper cell in her hometown of Who's There, Iowa.  But when Merry and her CIA assassin friend Hilly are out looking for the sleeper cell, they find a dead body in a little development just outside the town.

So, it would seem Merry, as always, has her hands full but that's not really the case.  Dealing with her middle school aged Girl Scout Troop who are extremely intelligent as well as one of them is the actual mayor of Who's There, keeping her assassin friend on a short leash, she always seems to have to solve the murders that occur .... or I mean help the police solve the murders. 

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.  And with Mastermind for Murder being the thirty eighth book in the series, it looks like there is a lot to love!!!

The Coggery (An Annabelle Sweeting Mystery Book # 2) by LK Billips

The second book in the Annabelle Sweeting Mystery series finds our heroine in the midst of a turbulent romance, a undetermined career path, and a new set of murders to solve.

To say things have become rocky between Annabelle and Constable Weston would be an understatement. Can the two put their personal lives on hold to work together? Can they help Nathan Starling discover who is hunting his old team of pickpocketing orphans, or will Annabelle give up investigating and leave the city completely? Find out now!  (Summary via Goodreads)

When I read The Catalyst by LK Billips, the first book in the Annabelle Sweeting Mystery series, I didn't know what to think.  The book is set in London in the 1800's but some aspects seem ahead of the times.  The main character Annabelle makes outfits using nuts and bolts and metal pieces that she gets from a trash pile behind a business.  And she has a unique "pet" Purgatorio which is a mechanical flying creature that can do so much.  The only normal thing about the story is that she helps the police with a murder and she butts heads with the constable.

Now I have just finished reading the second book in this series, The Coggery, and I am again not sure what to think.  This is not to say I didn't like the stories, I did, I thoroughly enjoyed them and quickly got lost in them.  They are definitely different and I think readers will love them as well.

In The Coggery Annabelle and Nathan, a young boy she has taken in are doing a little investigating on a previous case when Nathan comes across the body of a dead girl.  They are in the poor section where it is dangerous, especially for the misfortunate children to which the deceased, Gwennie, was.  Nathan knows this area too well as that is where he used to live until Anabelle saved him from it.  Now he will do whatever he can to help the others.

Even though Annabella and Constable Weston are not on good terms since they didn't agree on their last case, she knows that he will do everything in his power to find justice for Gwennie.  Unfortunately, before they can do that, more children are found dead.  They will find themselves working with some abnormal characters and taken down a dark path .....

I read a lot of books and can usually write my thoughts out with no problems but for some reason it's hard to wrap my head around these books.  Don't get me wrong .... there is a lot I can say, I just don't want to give much away.  There is a lot within these two books that have a surprising and exciting factor to it that if I write about it, it will ruin it for the reader.  I wish I could just say to go grab your copy and start reading but I feel I have to say something.  I hope that I have provided enough intrigue for you.

Critters and Crimes (Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club series Book # 11) by Elizabeth Pantley

 A quaint riverside town holds many secrets ... and the only ones who’ve seen it all are the critters. This book club dives (literally!) into the pages of a cozy mystery. The quirky group must solve the mystery to get out of the book. It’s so much fun - you’ll wish you had a book club like this!

In this journey, they choose a book set in a lovely riverside town. They land in a charming neighborhood and find they are part of a local book club. They are having a great time – and then a dead body shows up. (Of course it does!)

The clues to what happened come to them in a unique way – via the critters in the house.

As usual, the club finds plenty of time to enjoy the unique setting of their journey, as they solve the mystery – one critter at a time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

REVIEWS for book 10 in this PUZZLES & PREMIERES

5 STARS!
“The heart of this series lies in its extraordinary cast of characters, particularly the members of the Book Club—including the unforgettable Frank, a talking cat.”

5 STARS!
“I’m hoping that Pantley has a million of these books left to write. I can’t imagine any other books that have kept my interest this long. The characters are so much fun, and the story line is always fresh and exciting."

5 STARS!
“I loved this book. I think it might be the best yet, have I said that before? Probably, but the books in this series just seem to get better and better.”

5 STARS!
“It’s a wild and wonderful journey! I was swept away out of my daily life, along with the book club. It was just the respite I needed, and so much enjoyed!”

5 STARS!
“I laughed (thanks, Frank and Zell), gasped (those twists!), and couldn’t stop turning the pages. The setting was vivid and fun—I could practically feel the cold mountain air and see the glittering festival lights.”

5 STARS!
“I could not pull myself away and spent every waking moment (and some when I might usually be sleeping), reading voraciously to find out the answer to the mystery and reach the end… and it was worth every single second!”

5 STARS!
“Well-written with well-developed characters and a fast-paced plot. The series premise is both original and fun. I was totally drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end.”

~ ~ ~

This book is part of a magical cozy mystery series of 11 books and growing.

Each book can be read as a standalone but are much more fun in order.

Available in eBook, paperback, Kindle Unlimited, and audiobook.

Join Elizabeth’s mailing list and get a free book from her Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club series.  (Summary via Goodreads)

I have been a fan of the Magical Cozy Mystery Book club series by Elizabeth Pantley since the first book so you can imagine how I feel after reading Critters and Crime, the eleventh book.

Every time I open one of the books in this series I am whisked away on an adventure just like the members of the book club, except I don't have to leave my couch .... although I think I would enjoy the different places they wind up in.  I could probably help with the murder solving aspect, and I sure would love the no calories eating they get to do.

Anyway, I am getting off track, which is something the members do a lot of as well.  

In Critters and Crime Frank, who is the library cat, is promoted to full-fledged book club member and as new member he talks the others into letting him pick the book for their next adventure.  Frank wants one with animals, so Sebastian brings back Clues from the Critters and Frank approves and the rest of the group does too.

The group finds themselves in Rivershade and LOVE what the book has done to the Snapdragon Inn and love the little town as well.  They find that they are members of a nonmagical book club and go to a meeting.  There they meet the host Lillian as well as the other members.  It is not until they go to Lillian's again that they find Lillian in the kitchen talking to her husband who is dead on the floor.

The group is soon very confused when Lillian insists that Harold died due to mismanaging his heart medication.  She also gets the coroner to agree and then makes plans to go stay with her sister asking the group to watch her house and take care of the numerous pets of Harold's.

It doesn't take long for Frank to dislike the choice seeing as no one can communicate with him and all they hear from him is meow.  That is until he finds that Harold's pets do talk and Paige and the rest can talk with them as well.

I know I say it after reading each new book in this series, but I think Critters and Crimes is now my favorite.  Not only is this a rather captivating series but you get to laugh a lot throughout the books.  You fall in love with the characters, want to be a part of their magical book club and travel with them .... and that is saying a lot of me because I HATE to travel. (I know I'm weird like that lol)

I hope that you are a fan as well and if you aren't you have eleven books to read and escape with.

May Contain Murder (Chef Paul Delamare Mystery Book #2) by Orlando Murrin

Worse things happen at sea.
Paul Delamare has been roped into accompanying his old friend on a luxury cruise aboard the magnificent superyacht Mal de Mer. It’s all plain sailing until his friend’s priceless necklace is stolen, and everyone falls under suspicion.

Every chef for himself.
As Paul races to catch the thief, the ship begins to drift off-course, veering into the storm-lashed mid-Atlantic. Then one of the passengers is found dead in mysterious circumstances, in a pool of coffee and surrounded by cake crumbs.

Voyage of the damned.
It’s all hands-on deck to catch the killer, but Paul soon discovers guests and crew are harbouring deadly secrets. And if he can’t get to the bottom of the mystery soon, he’ll be sleeping with the fishes.  (Summary via Goodreads)

You would think that if a crime, like theft or murder, occurred on a yacht it would be easy to solve.  Well in May Contain Murder it is anything but easy !!

May Contain Murder is the second book in the Chef Paul Delamare Mystery series by Orlando Murrin and Chef Paul is in way over his head.  Chef Paul has been invited by his dear friend Xera to help write her memoir.  Xera has just gotten married, and a small group of family and friends are traveling with the newlyweds on an Atlantic cruise and Paul is included so they can begin their writing journey.  

Unfortunately, shortly into the cruise a very unique and expensive necklace the groom, Sir Billy, gave to this bride, Xera, is stolen out of their cabin.  But before they can figure out where it is or who stole it, Xera is found dead the next morning.

Paul knows that something isn't right with the scene but has no authority and it is all a hunch plus the captain of the boat has the authority and dictates how to handle it.  Xera's death is ruled an accident, and things are to continue as normal as they can.

Luckily for Xera Paul will do whatever he can to find out what really happened to her ... no matter how dangerous it gets !!  Sadly, he is among strangers and doesn't know who he can trust or if he can trust anyone.

May Contain Murder is such an interesting read.  With everyone stuck on the yacht, not being able to leave, you would think it would be easy to keep track of everyone ... but that is not the case for Paul.  It's a good thing readers aren't there and can sit back and relax while they tag along with everyone and you don't have to worry about getting seasick.

The Devil in the Details (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Book # 11) by Vicki Delany

The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing cold murder.

Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.

But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.

As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Jayne and Andy are getting married !!!  And Gemma and Ryan are in the wedding party !!!  

The Devil in the Details is the eleventh book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany and I am a huge fan, as I hope you are also.  There is a lot to talk about so let's go ....

Like I said Jayne, who is Gemma's best friend and business partner is getting ready to marry Andy.  Gemma co-owns and runs the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop as well as part owner of Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room.  Her best friend Jayne is part owner of the Tea Room. her fiancé Andy owns the Blue Water Cafe while Gemma's boyfriend is a detective.

Unfortunately, a week before the wedding while they are celebrating Jayne's birthday at the Blue Water Cafe, an uninvited guest goes over the railing on the deck into the cold water.  Gemma and Andy jump in to save her, but they find out later she passed.  The police have their sights on Andy once they find out that the deceased, Tina, was his ex-girlfriend. 

Jayne, of course, asks Gemma to do what she does best and prove Andy's innocence.  But before Gemma can decide if Tina's death was an accident or murder, there is a definite murder, and she gets run down by the killer.  Gemma goes to question Robbie, who was also at the birthday party working as a waiter, but she is too late.

Gemma will not be able to rest until she figures out what happened to both Tina and Robbie, and she needs to make sure that Jayne and Andy get their perfect wedding day.  

Readers cannot help but love this series.  You fall in love with everything within this series and this book just intensifies that feeling.

 

A Circle of Dead Girls (A Will Rees Mystery Book #8) by Eleanor Kuhns

The circus arrives in Durham and the whole town is excited... until the body of a Shaker girl is found beaten.

The circus has arrived in Durham, Maine. Before weaver Will Rees is able to take in its spectacle, he spots Magistrate Hanson - the man he blames for his family's having to flee Dugard two years earlier.

On his journey home he encounters Shaker brothers searching for a girl from their Zion community. Despite women not being allowed inside the circus, Leah had snuck out to visit it. They quickly come across her lifeless body beaten and thrown into a farmer's field on the road leading to the circus.

Bored of his household chores, Rees begins investigating at the expense of his home life. He becomes entranced by the lives of the circus performers, including the charismatic horse rider and tightrope walker. Is his longing for his old journeyman's life causing him to take his eye off the case, and can he stay out of Hanson's way and keep his family safe?  (Summary via Goodreads)

There is a lot going on in A Circle of Dead Girls, the eighth book in the Will Rees Mystery series, by Eleanor Kuhns .... and readers cannot help but love it !!  Hopefully you are a fan of this series already but if not, you have some reading to do, which I'm sure you will enjoy.

In A Circle of Dead Girls main character Will Rees is excited that a circus will be stopping in town.  Unfortunately, only men and boys are allowed to see it so his wife and daughters cannot attend.  The best that they can hope is that Will will be able to describe everything he sees.

But before he returns home from seeing a little bit of the circus performances, he comes across some of the men from the Shaker community who are looking for one of their own, a young girl who left with a boy but has not returned.  He agrees to help them search for her only to find her body in a farmer's field.

Everyone wants to blame the members of the circus, but Will knows he has to have an open mind especially when he has to convince the local constable that the man he quickly arrested is not the guilty party.

Will will stop at nothing to solve the murder and bring justice to the victim, even if it jeopardizes his marriage and homelife.  Will wants to be more than just a farmer, he wants to be able to do weaving jobs and solve any criminal cases that occur.  And readers cannot help but want that also.