Mission Impawsible (Paws and Claws Mystery, #4) by Krista Davis

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Murder Most Howl "comes another Paws & Claws mystery...
In the pet-friendly town of Wagtail, Virginia, there's no love lost when Holly Miller meets her match in a murderer...
Holly and her grandmother, Oma, are working their tails off to prepare the Sugar Maple Inn for an upcoming matchmaking event for pet owners. While Holly has no interest in pairing up, Oma plans on playing Cupid and finding someone to warm her reluctant granddaughter's heart.
Unfortunately, one man Holly does meet is cold, dead cold, and he has a personal letter from Oma in his pocket. As suspicion is cast over the inn's guests, Holly, with the help of her furry friends, Trixie the Jack Russell and Twinkletoes the cat, must fetch the real killer, or she may soon have a date in court.
Includes delicious recipes for owners and pets!"   (Summary via Goodreads)

I absolutely love this series! 
All of Krista Davis Paws and Claws mysteries grab you from the first page to the last. I do have to admit that this one is my favorite so far because of the Animal Attraction Matchmaking event going on at Wagtail. Pet lovers rejoice! I wish Wagtail, Virginia was a real place because all the characters are so colorful and friendly. 
Krista puts it all in her mysteries, of course you have a mysterious mystery, a dead body, and it keeps you on your toes throughout. You won't want to put it down especially with love in the air. I'm sure you will be surprised that Oma is trying really hard to match Holly up at this event. Is it in the cards for Holly or will she be the only single at the matchmaking event weekend? Or will she become so wrapped up in the mystery that she becomes the main suspect???
You will not be able to put this wonderful installment down in The Paws and Claws mysteries. Don't forget to check out the great pet friendly recipes out at the end of the book.

Review by Penny M.

Weave a Murderous Web (Jane Larson Novels) by Anne Rothman-Hicks, Ken Hicks

No good deed goes unpunished. When Jane Larson—a hot-shot litigator for a large firm in New York City—helps out a friend, she is sucked into the unfamiliar world of divorce and child support. 

Jane's discovery of the deadbeat dad’s hidden assets soon unravels a web of lies, drugs, and murder that keeps getting more dangerous. 

Soon, Jane is involved in a high stakes race to recover a missing suitcase of cash and catch the murderer before she becomes the next victim.  (Summary via Goodreads)


You couldn't ask for a better title than Weave a Murderous Web for Anne Rothman-Hicks and Ken Hicks book.  The story that they tell is a maze of people and situations that seem to interlock all of the characters.....some of which do not unravel until the explosive end.  

The story begins with a friend asking a friend for help...something as simple and innocent as that one favor will set the ball in motion.  Jane, at the time, does not know how that one favor asked by her friend, Francine, will lead her down a road of drugs, murder, lies, and money.

But Jane doesn't stop, even when her own life is threatened and she seems to be getting deeper and deeper into the web.  It also becomes clear to her that she doesn't know who she can trust or believe.  Even those closest to her are questionable......

Weave a Murderous Web will have you on the edge of your seat and may cause papercuts from turning the pages to quickly.  But it will all be worth it in the end.....I hope you will be as shocked as I was.

Review by Missi S.

Cat Got Your Cash (Kitty Couture Mystery #2) by Julie Chase

Lacy Marie Crocker’s whimsical pet couture has gained a following in New Orleans’s cozy Garden District, and word of mouth has traveled all the way to her favorite fashion designer, Annie Lane. Lacy’s thrilled when Annie schedules a private session at her home to discuss a companion line for her evening wear, but when Lacy arrives for the appointment, she enters the kitchen to two mewling Siamese cats--and one very dead Annie.

Lacy takes the kittens home to care for them until they can be properly claimed by Annie's family or friends, but after a busy day of work, she returns home to find them missing. And when Lacy learns the cats are set to inherit Annie's fortune, she begins to wonder if the killer was after the kittens all along. Now Lacy will stop at nothing to save the Siamese and find justice for Annie--if the killer doesn’t sink his claws into her first.

Luckily, Lacy has the help of handsome NOLA PD homicide detective Jack Oliver to help her catch the cat-napper before its too late in Cat Got Your Cash, the endearing second Kitty Couture mystery from Julie Chase.   (Summary via Goodreads)


Cat Got Your Cash is the second book in Julie Chase's Kitty Couture Mystery series and it was such a fun read.  First off you have Lacy who owns a pet fashion and treats shop on a busy fun street in New Orleans.  She brings her cat Penelope to work every day so that she can ride the robot vacuum cleaner.  Long time employee to the family, Imogene, has a quirky hobby of freeing spirits and getting rid of bad mojo.  Then you have the hunky police detective, Jack, her best friend, Scarlet, and her loving but annoying mother.

And the story !!!  Lacy has a meeting with fashion designer, Anne Lane, who she admires.  She is hoping that they can work together on a line of clothes.  Unfortunately when she gets to Lane's house, she finds her dead !!  Lacy then finds herself convincing Lane's attorney to allow her to care for her two Siamese kittens, Cashmere and Cotton.

Lacy has no idea how special these kittens are and the length that someone would go to get them.  When her house is broken into she has to find some where safe for Cashmere and Cotton and solve Anne's murder.  The suspect list is long but with the "help" from her friend the detective she knows that she can crack the case.  But can she solve it before someone else dies ?  

I LOVE books like this.  The storyline is so unique and fun !!!  Even though there is a murder and a case needs to be solved, Chase has a special way of gliding the reader through the story.

The only bad thing that I can say is I wish I had read the first book in this series.  Oh don't get me wrong... I will read it as well as any more Chase writes.  There is too much to like to not be a devoted fan !!!

Review by Missi S.  

Kale to the Queen (A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery #1) by Nell Hampton

Chef Carrie Ann Cole is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime--an assignment as the new Personal Chef to the Royal Family at Kensington Palace. But no sooner has Carrie Ann touched down across the pond and donned her apron than a dead body crops up beneath the royal kale beds.

With one assistant dead and the other soon under suspicion for his murder, Carrie Ann is scrambling to keep her kitchen up and running. Not to mention she gets off to an immediate bad start with the tempestuous Royal Chef Butterbottom, who has a bitter taste in his mouth since the prestigious position in the Royal Family's kitchen was given to an "over-privileged, under-educated American chef."

But the Royal Family's appetites wait for no one, and Carrie Ann must solve the murder and still get supper on the table on time--even with the annoyingly handsome Head of Security Ian Gordon tracking her every move like an MI6 agent. Suspects abound as an American chef adds a bit of spice to the traditional royal household in the first in Nell Hampton's charming and tasty Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series, Kale to the Queen.   (Summary via Goodreads)

Kale to the Queen is the first book in the Kensington Place Chef Mystery series by Nell Hampton and boy is it a GREAT start !!!

Carrie is hired to be the personal family chef for the Duke and Dutchess and thier children.  This is a great opportunity for her and she cannot wait to get started.  Unfortunately on her second day of employement she comes across one of her assistants murdered in the greenhouse adjacent to her kitchen.  Still recovering from jet leg and trying to get around the humongous  palace, Carrie has her hands full.  But when her other assistant is arrested for the murder, she makes it her job to find the real killer.  This,  however, is not an easy task as she has just arrived in London and doesn't know anyone especially someone that would want to murder her assistant.

Kale to the Queen has a very colorful and lovable group of characters......there is the Royal Chef Butterbottom who is in charge of the Royal families event meals who dislikes all Americans and there is the Head of Security Ian Gordon who is very charming and don't get me started on the hunky gardener....

Pick up Kale to the Queen and let Nell Hampton take you on a trip across the pond....you don't need to pack or get a pass port...just pick a comfy place to sit, grab a cup of tea and a cookie and open up your mind.....You will be glad you did !!!

I can tell you this.....I cannot wait for the next installment of the Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series !!  

Review by Missi S.

Southern Fried (Kenni Lowry #2) by Tonya Kappes

In the South, it’s better when the food is fried and the secrets kept buried… 

After the dead body of a beloved Cottonwood resident is found tangled up in an electric fence, Sheriff Kenni Lowry has a hunch that somethin’ ain’t right. Her investigation heats up with a fierce cook-off competition, a euchre game where the intel is sweeter than the brownies, and a decades old family recipe that may just be the proof in the pudding. 

The icing on the cake: Kenni is fighting an attraction to her recently sworn-in deputy sheriff, and election season is hot on her tail. When the killer comes after who she holds most dear, even her poppa’s ghostly guidance might not be enough to keep her and her own out of the frying pan.  (Summary via Goodreads)


I was so excited when book two in this series came out because it is absolutely wonderful to read. Who could resist Cottonwood, Kentucky and all of it's quirky, fun characters, even the dead one. 

Another member of the town is found dead and again leaves Kenni, her ghostly grandfather Poppa, and her hunky sheriff "friend " Finn to find the clues and solve this mystery before they are deep fried.

This is a wonderful series filled with adventure, a ghost, and of course some romance. This is a hard book to put down. Looking forward to book three.

Review by Penny M.

Fixin' To Die (Kenni Lowry #1) by Tonya Kappes

Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town’s previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town’s most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin’ for justice by nabbing the culprits. 

With the help of her Poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she’s worth her salt before time runs out.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Cottonwood, Kentucky population is small and quiet with little to no crime, what more could you ask for??? Now Sheriff Kenni Lowry thought the same thing until the town Dr is murdered! The town is in an uproar and wants this murder solved yesterday. They decide to bring in a very handsome Reserve Officer named Finn who quite frankly is annoying Kenni. She doesn't want anyone to know that she is feeling overwhelmed. Then the jewelry store in town is robbed and Kenni is convinced they are connected especially thanks to her grandfathers ghost whispering in her ear. Poppa was the Sheriff for years before he pasted.

Kenni wants to prove not only to herself but the town that she is able to bring a killer to justice.

This is the first book in a new series by Tonya Kappes. I am a good ole southern gal myself and love the town and characters of Cottonwood, Kentucky. Looking forward to more in this new series.

Review by Penny M.

A Woof of Murder (Pet Shop Mystery #8) by Susie Gayle

With the blackmail scandal over and behind him, life in Seaview Rock is pretty good for pet shop owner Will Sullivan—that is, until a town council member is struck by a car in broad daylight, and Will is given reason to believe it was no accident. He and his friends will have to find the culprit, while at the same time trying to keep their secret under wraps, one that would shake the town to its very core. To make matters even more challenging, Sarah’s family is in town for a visit—an overly critical mother and a younger brother with a criminal history. No matter what happens, one thing is for sure: life in Seaview Rock will never be the same.   (Summary via Goodreads)


Exciting, fun read. Love the adventures of Will, Sarah, and Karen as well as the other characters in Seaview Rock.

Just when they thought the scandal was behind them they end up finding out that the past may not be done with them. YIKES! And wouldn't you know poor Sarah is overwhelmed by her mother's visit that maybe the worst thing that occurs in Seaview, even compared to murder! The devil may come to mind? 

Secrets on top of secrets are abound in book eight. This is a great installment in The Pet Shop Mystery series.

Review by Penny M.

Death Crashes the Party (A Liv And Di In Dixie Mystery #1) by Vickie Fee

In the quirky, close-knit town of Dixie, Tennessee, party planner Liv McKay has a knack for throwing Southern-style soirées, from diamonds-and-denim to black tie affairs, and her best friend Di Souther mixes a mean daiquiri. While planning a Moonshine and Magnolias bash for high maintenance clients, Liv inconveniently discovers a corpse in the freezer and turns her attention from fabulous fêtes to finding a murderer. Together, Liv and Di follow a trail of sinister secrets in their sweet little town that leads them from drug smugglers to a Civil War battlefield, and just when they think they're whistling Dixie, Liv and Di will find themselves squarely in the crosshairs of the least likely killer of all. . .  .  (Summary via Goodreads)


This book is a great start to a new series. It is set in a little town called Dixie in Tennessee. Love the down home small town feel. You start out getting to know Liv who is the owner of Liv 4 Fun a party planning business. She is getting ready for Mr and Mrs Erdman's 40th wedding anniversary party where she has Mrs Erdman wanting elegant southern charm and Mr Erdman wanting men dressed as bootleggers with moonshine. Yes, you guessed it Liv has her hands full with this party. One of the must have decorations for Mrs Erdman are ice sculptures. So she bought a freezer to put them in prior to the party. They went to check on the size when they found two dead bodies, one on ice and the other in a garbage bag. This is only the start of Liv's bad luck. The police find a connection to her father in laws trucking company, McKay's trucking. This puts everyone on edge and things go down hill from there. 

Liv and her friend Di are on a mission to find the real killer or killers and save McKay's trucking. Will they be able to save themselves from trouble should be the real question???
These characters in Dixie are a hoot.

 I loved the southern charm and close knit family ties. Loved the humor along the way too. At times I was laughing out loud. The story line was well written and kept a steady pace. I really liked the fact that Liv was married. Not many cozies have a main character who is married and I loved how they interacted. The author brought out the close knit southern family, can't beat it. The characters were all great. Can't wait to get to know them better as the series progresses.

Review by Penny M.

Hand Tossed Murder (Papa Pacelli's Pizzeria #8) by Patti Benning

With the weather starting to warm up and spring approaching, Eleanora Pacelli is busy finalizing her plans for another renovation to Papa Pacelli’s Pizzeria, but she ends up having to put her plans on hold temporarily to prepare for a week-long visit by some family friends.
When Chuck and Kat Norman first arrive, the older couple don’t seem to be anything but the nice and normal people that Ellie expected. It isn’t until the first body turns up that she realizes that the couple might not be exactly what they seem. As the sheriff does everything in his power to track down the killer, Ellie and her grandmother have to come to terms with the fact that one of their friends might just be the prime suspect in a double homicide.  (Summary via Goodreads)

This book is more than just great pizza! It is packed full of murder and mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you coming back for more.

These characters are wonderful and well written. It is very family oriented which I love. Ann Pancelli is the grandmother to Elli who now owns and runs her grandfathers pizzeria after his death. Ann is a strong woman who has given Elli a great role model after her past life in the city was a mess. She is now thriving in Kittiport, Maine and ready to renovate the pizzeria again to bring even more business to the family owned pizzeria. Elli and her handsome sheriff boyfriend Russell seem to have everything on track even with the occasional murder/mystery. 

Ann let's Elli know that they will be having some old friends staying with them for a few weeks. Elli is really excited for her grandmother since she is alone after her grandfather passed except for bunny Ellie's adorable dog and Marlow the talking parrot. Which by the way may play a big role in the upcoming mystery way beyond Elli and Nonna may realize. 
After the arrival of Nonna's friends people seem to be dropping like flies by a mysterious murderer. 

Are Nonna and Elli harboring murderers or is it just coincidence???
They all become involved in the mystery to find out who killed two people in the small town. 

The ending of this book had me fooled. Can't wait for book nine.

Review by Penny M.

A Winter's Tail (Whales and Tails #11) by Kathi Daley

Three secrets, first revealed in Grimm's Furry Tail, A Tale of Two Tabbies, and The Cat of Christmas Present, collide in a single horrific moment that leaves one person dead and one fighting for their life. This fast paced cozy mystery will have you glued to the page as Cait and Cody join forces with a cat named Moirai in a race against time to track down a killer.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Five star plus read! I have read all of the books in The Whales and Tails series and love everyone. This one especially keeps you on your toes. From the first page Kathi Daley has you wanting to not stop till the end.

This series and its characters are a perfect mix of friendship, lose, love and mystery that will have you guessing "Who did it" till the end. I love a great mystery that I can't solve till the end. She definitely challenged me. 

If you haven't picked up this series yet you are missing out. A true Cozy mystery you will enjoy.

Review by Penny M.

When the Grits Hit the Fan (Country Store Mysteries #3) by Maddie Day

Despite the bitter winter in South Lick, Indiana, business is still hot at Robbie Jordan’s restaurant. But when another murder rattles the small town, can Robbie defrost the motives of a cold-blooded killer?

Before she started hosting dinners for Indiana University’s Sociology Department at Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie never imagined scholarly meetings could be so hostile. It’s all due to Professor Charles Stilton, who seems to thrive on heated exchanges with his peers and underlings, and tensions flare one night after he disrespects Robbie’s friend, graduate student Lou. So when Robbie and Lou go snowshoeing the next morning and find the contentious academic frozen under ice, police suspect Lou might have killed him after their public tiff. To prove her friend’s innocence, Robbie is absorbing local gossip about Professor Stilton’s past and developing her own thesis on the homicide—even if that means stirring up terrible danger for herself along the way . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)


Oh how I LOVE hanging out with Robbie at Pans 'N Pancakes....even if there is a killer running loose around town.  Robbie always has her hands full with the restaurant especially when a death occurs in town and she is the one that found the body !!!

Robbie and her friend Lou go snowshoeing around the lake and while crossing over the lake, Robbie happens to look into an iced over ice fishing hole and sees the face of Professor Stilton.  He was just in the restaurant the night before with a group from the Sociology Department from the nearby university.  Now its no secret that he wasn't well liked but to push him into a cold lake ??

Of course being the puzzle solver that she is, Robbie cannot help but show interest in the case...especially when some of the "suspects" are people she knows.  And telling the detective in charge of the case that they are innocent doesn't go over too well for her.  

As well as being a puzzle solver, Robbie is great with multi-tasking.  While she preps for the morning rush or tears down walls upstairs of the restaurant, she allows her brain to wonder and ponder.....  But while working on the upstairs she comes across some items that were hidden in the walls as well as a secret tunnel that leads to the barn.  She talks to Jo, the previous owner of the building who actually lived upstairs about the items.  Jo does confirm that she put the items in the walls many years ago.  Now Jo is also the mother-in-law of Professor Stilton whiich means her daughter also lived upstairs of the restaurant when she was a teenager.  

When Robbie comes across a built in cabinet with a doll and a diary, everything comes together.  All she has to do is get the evidence to the police before her and Abe become 2 more victims.

I just LOVE how Maddie Day writes the Country Store Mystery series.  There are times while you are reading that everything is going nice and smooth but turn the page and as quick as that things take a drastic turn and you are on the edge of your seat holding your breath !!!  And did I mention how AWESOME Robbie is ??  This girl has got it together....even when she doesn't think so !!

When the Grits Hit the Fan is the 3rd book in this delicious series.  What are you waiting for ?  If you haven't dropped into South Lick for a visit, better hurry up...... you don't want to be left behind !!!

Review by Missi S.

***  Maddie Day is also known as Edith Maxwell.  Check out her and her books at
https://edithmaxwell.com/    (Tell her Missi sent ya !!) ***

Murder at Turtle Cove (Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery #5) by Kathi Daley

Lani is trapped when a school of sharks gather to feed between her location beyond the breakers and the beach. When she is finally able to come ashore she finds that the meal the sharks were feeding on was a who rather than a what. Based on the evidence provided it looks like the victim was murdered prior to becoming shark food. Luke and Lani set out to find the killer but during the course of the investigation Lani learns a surprising secret about Luke that may change everything she believes to be true.  (Summary via Amazon)


Set in Hawaii you would think that everything would be quiet and beautiful. Nope, not for Lani Pope. She is a very head strong, intelligent petite woman who has always wanted to be a cop like her brothers and father. Instead she is part of the WSO and very good at her job.

In this book Kathi Daley starts it out with ferocious tiger sharks circling Lani while on a surfing excursion and Sandy, her dog barking at the shoreline trying to get to her. After the sharks decide to leave, Sandy brings Lani a surprise from the beach, a human arm! Lani automatically knows by the tattoo that is a new food truck owner that has been stirring up trouble on the island. And if those two things aren't enough to make her day terrible she ends up late for work and is stuck at the family pool. A child leaves a present for her in the pool, a torpedo ( use your imagination) and has to clean it up. Ewwwwwwww! 

The arm found leads Lani, Luke, and her senior friends to start yet another murder investigation. But this one may put Lani at her breaking point.

Love this series and can't wait to see what happens next with Lani and Luke.

Review by Penny M.