Death at an Irish Wedding (Irish Castle Mystery Book # 2) by Ellie Brannigan

Bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur Rayne McGrath remains in the Irish countryside ready for some wedding mayhem in this charming and colorful cozy, perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor and Sheila Connolly.

Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.

When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.

It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.  (Summary via Goodreads)

As we learned in the first book in the Irish Castle Mystery series written by Ellie Brannigan, Murder at an Irish Castle, Rayne and her cousin Ciara have their hands full trying to save the castle they inherited as well as the village it resides in.  According to Rayne's late uncle (Ciara's real father) they have a year to bring the castle and the village back to a positive financial standing.  Unfortunately things aren't going the way they intended.

Now in the second book in the series, Murder at a Irish Wedding, they have scheduled their first wedding at the castle with a small group staying at the castle for a weekend full of activities with the nuptials happening at the small church in the village.  The group includes the groom, a very famous and handsome actor, Jake, his brother Josh, Jake's assistant Ethan, the bride Tori, her best friend Amy, Amy's assistant Tiffany and Tori's parents, Dylan and Joan.  

They are getting married ahead of schedule to ensure that the press doesn't crash the party and they can keep it quiet.  

Unfortunately one night Rayne's dog Blarney howled and alerted them that something was wrong.  When Rayne and Ciara check it out they find Tiffany laying on the ground dead.  It is first thought that she jumped from the top of the tower due to suffering depression but Rayne isn't so sure and when the local gardai shows up, they rule it a suspicious death....

Nobody knows what to do but the bride is determined to marry Jake as planned.  So they go about wedding business as best they can but Rayne and Ciara still need to find out the truth to save the castle.  This is the first wedding of many and the money is greatly needed.

Even though the gardai is on the case, Rayne still takes it upon herself to look into the people staying at the castle.  She needs to make sure she is doing everything she can for the castle and the village.

Readers cannot help but fall in love with this story as well as the first book in the series. There is a lot going on that will keep readers turning the pages.  And Brannigan opens up your imagination so that you will feel like you are right there.  I highly encourage you to dig in !!!

Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder (A Samantha Davies Mystery Book # 6) by S.A. Kazlo

Christmas is coming and children’s book author, Samantha Davies, and her lovable dachshund, Porkchop, are caught up in the holiday festivities in beautiful upstate New York. Sam’s parents, Chuck and Barbara, who have been enjoying their retired life in sunny Florida, have flown into Wings Falls to spend the holidays with Sam and meet her new boyfriend, Detective Hank Johnson. Sam is also busy hosting this year’s Christmas party for the Loopy Ladies, Sam’s rug hooking group.

The Loopy Ladies know how to party and are enjoying an evening eating, drinking, and making merry... until Santa crashes the party. Unfortunately, this Santa is Sam’s next-door neighbor who her parents have had a long-running feud with. When not playing the local mall’s not-so-jolly old St. Nick, Leo Sayers is a newspaper reporter, and he announces to the group that he's written a damning article accusing Sam’s dad and his close friend, Herb Feinstein, of some very shady dealings in their past. To preserve peace on earth—and among the Loopy Ladies—Chuck and Herb escort Leo from the party.

Only, not long after being sent on his way, Santa is found dead—lying in the snow, run over by a plastic reindeer, with a string of Christmas lights around his neck! Are Sam’s father and Herb now on the naughty list? If Sam can’t prove them innocent of murdering Santa, she's afraid their stockings will contain handcuffs and a one-way ticket to prison this year!

"A doggone entertaining mystery filled with small town scandals! Funny and entertaining!"
~ Fresh Fiction

"This series a HOOT!!! You will love Wings Falls, the businesses, the people, and the relationships and friendships. There are plenty of times that I have read a book and wanted to jump into the story and live in the town, and the Samantha Davies Mystery series is one on the top of that list!!
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews ...... (Summary via Goodreads)

Let's start off by saying yes I am quoted in the summary of books in the Samantha Davies Mystery Book series by S.A. Kazlo and yes I mean every word of it !!!  With six books in this series, with Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder being the sixth I stand firm by my words and maybe even more seeing as I finished this new release in one day.  I could not put it down and only did so when I had to go to the bathroom or get a drink or something to eat and I did it only when absolutely necessary.

When you pick a book that is a part of a series, you want it to be something that will have you returning seeing as you will be spending time with the book, the characters, the town and businesses, and the storylines and you will feel like you are a part of it even though it becomes a part of you.  You become invested in it and this series is that !!!

In Mistletoe, Mutts and Murder main character Samantha is getting into the holiday season and hosting a party for her Loopy Ladies group and their  and the best part is that her parents will be there as well !!!  They have come back to Wings Fall to spend the holiday with Sam.

Unfortunately during the party an unvited guest crashes the party .... the not nice and quite drunk next door neighbor, Theo Sayers.  Luckily Sam's dad and his friend escort Theo home.  But then a bit later a scream pierces the air and when they rush outside to find out what all the noise is about, they find Theo's wife is who screamed and Theo is tangled up in his Christmas decoratings dead !!!

And more unfortunately, and let's add sadly, when Sam's boyfriend, Hank, who is a detective on the force, begins to investigate Theo's murder Sam's dad and friend are on the top of the list and taken in for questioning.

Sam soon learns that Theo and her parents have a long history that dates back to high school and she can't believe that Theo would move right next door.  And she cannot believe that no one told her about this history until now.  She knows that there is no way her father would kill Theo over something that happened so long ago but will she be able to figure it out.  

Sam and her cousin Candie again take it upon themselves to talk to some people that they feel know something or didn't like Theo to try to get Sam's dad off the suspect list.  But they soon find out that Theo really wasn't a nice person and people have no problem speaking about it !!

This is one series that readers will love !!!  There is also a lot more that I could tell you, oh so much more, but I don't want to give everything away and I don't want to prolong your time away from reading.  I highly encourage you to head on into Wings Falls and hang with Sam and her crew, have breakfast at Sweetie's Pie Cafe, and everything else you read about !!!

And lastly I will leave you with this ..... the end will blow you away !!!!  In a very good way but don't sneak a peek and ruin it !!!

Silent Nights Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery Book # 9) by Libby Klein

Despite her best efforts, gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister finds herself confounded by a case of murder this Christmas in the latest installment of this delightful culinary B&B mystery series!

Ever since Thanksgiving, when an engagement ring in a velvet box—and no gift tag—was left behind, Poppy and her pals have been left with an unsolved mystery. But at least this mystery isn’t the kind that involves murder. That all changes when the body of a fish supplier is discovered in the kitchen of her ex’s restaurant—and he’s frozen, not fresh.

For once, it’s not Poppy who tripped over the corpse, yet she can’t escape being drawn in since the victim has a note taped to him reading Get Poppy. Figures—an engagement ring isn't labeled, but the dead guy is addressed to her. Now, while Aunt Ginny plans a tree-trimming party and pressures Poppy to decode a mysterious old diary, the amateur sleuth is asked to “unofficially” go undercover at the restaurant to help the police. Until then, the only crime Poppy had been dealing with was the cat Figaro’s repeated thefts of bird ornaments from the tree; now it looks like it’s going to be a murder-y Christmas after all . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

I hope that you are a fan of the Poppy McAllister Mystery series written by Libby Klein.  This series is so much fun to read !!  Not only is it fun but as you read each new book in this series you feel closer to the characters which makes the stories mean so much more !!

Silent Nights Are Murder is the ninth book in the series and boy, oh boy, does a lot happen !!  Even if this is the first book of this series that you pick up and choose to read, you will still take away as much as someone who has read the previous eight .... but I do encourage you to go back and catch up, just because the books are so good !!!

In Silent Nights Are Murder Poppy and her crew have just celebrated Thanksgiving and when they were cleaning up, Poppy's best friend Sawyer finds a ring box with the help of Poppy's cat Figaro.  Now there is no clear answer as to who the ring box belongs to or who the intended person is that the question will be asked to.  It could be Poppy with Gia proposing but Sawyer and her boyfriend Ben are in a good place, Poppy's ex-mother-in-law and Smitty are madly in love and even Aunt Ginny and Royce who aren't getting any younger could be the ones saying  "I do".

So the ladies decide to hold another dinner party to try to find out who will crack and admit they lost the ring.  But before Poppy can give it any thought, she is called to her ex-boyfriend's restaurant when a dead body is found in one of the walk-in freezers and a note with "Get Poppy" is taped to him.

Poppy does not know the deceased or who taped the note on him so she wants to just walk away but when Tim, her ex, pleads for her help, she is torn.  Then she finds out that his girlfriend and business partner Gigi is bursting with a pregnancy proving that Tim didn't cry too long over their last break-up.  Even though Gigi cannot stand her, she agrees to go undercover and work in the restaurant to try to find out who is guilty.

Meanwhile back at the Butterfly Wings Bed and Breakfast the crew is preparing for the dinner to uncover who is getting engaged and then all heck breaks lose when Poppy's mother shows upo under a false name !!  Poppy's mother left her with Aunt Ginny and her grandmother over thirty years ago and hasn't been heard from since .... so Poppy wants to know what is going on but she cannot believe anything that the woman says !!!

Readers will fall in love once again with this latest installment of the Poppy McAllister Mystery series.  Klein knows how to reel you in and keep you on the hook throughout the entire book.  And in Silent Nights Are Murder there is so much to love and she keeps the surprises going throughout the entire book all the way to the last chapter.

Autumn Embers (A Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Book # 3) by Tina deBellegarde

Bianca St. Denis travels to Kyoto to return a priceless artifact recovered in Batavia-on-Hudson during last summer’s flood. It’s late October, and the city of 2,000 shrines is in full autumn splendor. While she’s in Japan’s ancient capital, Bianca visits with her son, a student at Kyoto University. Ian shows her the sights and introduces her to his circle of friends—his chosen family.

On the night of her welcome party, Bianca thinks she witnesses a struggle in the garden, perhaps even a murder. When the police investigate and find no body, she is stumped, yet alarm bells won’t stop ringing. She knows she’s witnessed something.

When a dead body surfaces and suspicion falls on her son, Bianca’s maternal instincts spring to action to protect Ian and clear his name. Meanwhile, things in Batavia-on-Hudson are tense. Sheriff Mike Riley is losing his re-election while tackling devastating news about his dead partner and wavering about his troubled marriage.

Autumn Embers explores the malleable nature of our identities and reminds us that chosen families can be stronger than we think, and that true friendship can bridge any distance.  (Summary via Goodreads)

In Autumn Embers, the third book in the Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery series written by Tina deBellegarde readers will feel like they are reading two different books.  Tina takes main character Bianca out of Batavia-on-Hudson and sents her thousands of miles away to Japan to spend time with her son as well as return a priceless artifact to it's rightful owners.  Bianca found it previously and after research located it's real place of origin.

Unfortunately at the beginning of her visit with her son during the welcome party that he organized, there are some univited and unwanted people who crashed the party and Bianca witnesses a commotion in the garden.  To make matters worse no one believes her until a body turns up....

Meanwhile back home in Batavia-on-Hudson Bianca's close friend and the Sheriff, Mike, is facing the elections and he has two components running against him and one is his deputy.  Mike hasn't had his head in the game as he has been dealing with a lot of personal things and doesn't think that he will win.  That will put him in an unpleasant place as whether to stay in Batavia or move.

Luckily Bianca and Mike have each other and even though they are miles apart, they still call and talk each other through what they are dealing with.  Bianca really needs Mike's help when her son Ian turns out to be on the top of the suspect list.

Bianca knows very little Japanese but that won't deter her from looking into the death of Ian's ex-friend.  And she has Ian's friends to help her.

Readers will love how deBellegarde splits the story up with Bianca in Japan and Mike back in Batavia-on-Hudson with each having their own storyline but then how she gracefully overlaps the story is magical !!!  You cannot help by allow your imagination to open up, especially when you are with Bianca in Japan.

Deadly Crush (Cece Barton Mystery Book # 2 ) by Maddie Day

It’s the beginning of a new year, and for widowed single mom and recent L.A. transplant to California wine country, Cece Barton, that means green hillsides, flowing streams from winter rains, pruned vineyards—and a murder to solve . . . 

After a mostly stress-free Christmas with her college-age daughter, and despite enjoying a current budding romance with fellow newcomer, Benjamin Cohen, it’s time for Cece to focus on Vino y Vida, the Colinas wine bar she manages. Electrical work and an outdoor security camera are needed, and she’s hired local electrician Karl Meier to do the job, along with the help of his nephew Ian. But she regrets her choice when she witnesses Karl needlessy berating Ian in her presence. On top of that, Karl leers at her, then presents her with an inflated bill before the work is complete. Still, she’s shocked when she gets a call from Karl’s ex-wife, Josie, that she’s found Karl . . . crushed to death beneath the lift in her automotive shop. 

Cece convinces Josie to call the police, even though Josie is terrified. After all, Karl was an abusive husband, was threatening her, and she has no alibi. With Josie’s future on the line, and maybe her own, Cece starts her own investigation. From the customers Karl cheated to the other women he harassed, she finds there’s no lack of suspects—other than the shelter kittens to whom he was an uncharacteristically sweet volunteer. With a bouquet of motives and unanswered questions, Cece is going to need the help of her twin, Allie, who owns a nearby B & B, as she dives into Karl’s past—before the killer catches up with her, and the lights go out for good . . .(Summary via Goodreads)

Grab a snack, a comfy blanket and a glass of wine (and leave the bottle nearby) because as soon as you opening up Deadly Crush, the second book in the Cece Barton Mystery series by Maddie Day, you are not going to be moving off the couch or chair.  

In Deadly Crush main character Cece Barton takes her beloved car, Blue, to her friends garage for a tune up. But before Jo can get to work on Blue, she called Cece to come to the garage immediately.  Once Jo gets to the garage she finds Jo's ex-husband Karl dead .... crushed under the lift in the garage.  Cece had Karl in her wine bar the day before working on an electrical issue and even though she didn't know him well, she wasn't a big fan of him.

Cece soon learns that not many people in Colinas had fond memories of their experiences with the electrician but she knows that there is no way that Jo killed him.  So she finds herself asking questions trying to get to know the person Karl was.  As she does this her list of suspects grows and grows .... and, of course, as word gets out that she is talking, some want to tell her more but others may be trying to silence her.

If you are not a fan of Maddie Day I cannot stress it enough that you need to be !!  Your life will be so much better as you read her books and get to know the characters.  And with the Cece Barton Mystery series, it is encouraged for you to have a glass of wine or as Cece likes, a couple fingers of scotch.  It helps with the reading process ..... well, it wouldn't hurt.  But a nice cup of tea or coffee is acceptable as well.  Whatever your beverage of choice may be, grab it and dig in to Deadly Crush.

Murder at the Lemonberry Tea (Beacon Bakeshop Book # 6 ) by Darci Hannah

Lindsey Bakewell’s iconic lighthouse bakeshop in beautiful Beacon Harbor, Michigan, is hosting a celebrity cookbook author from the UK—but the notorious diva is now DOA . . . 

Lindsey’s patrons have a new outdoor patio where they can eat their treats in the glorious summer weather. But even more exciting is that the Beacon Bakeshop is going to host British celebrity chef Vivi Lemonberry—and what could be a more appropriate event than a tea party?   

What Lindsey didn’t realize is that Vivi is here to put some distance between herself and her recent professional and personal scandals. Despite assurances that Vivi is as sweet as a chocolate-dipped strawberry, Lindsey is cooling rapidly toward the culinary icon . . . especially after she banishes Lindsey’s beloved dog, Wellington, from the bakeshop and then flirts outrageously with Lindsey’s boyfriend.  

She’s not the only one feeling hostile, though. While Vivi’s in the middle of making a tart in front of the cameras, a woman runs up and slaps her. Soon, Vivi’s nowhere to be found, and folks are speculating on whether she’s run off with her secret lover or just laying low due to embarrassment. That is, until Lindsey finds a body bobbing near the surface of Lake Michigan. It’s a sour ending for the diva, but Lindsey is determined to squeeze the truth out of every clue until she finds the killer . .   (Summary via Goodreads)

I am a huge fan of books with a lighthouse as one of the main focal points and the Beacon Bakeshop series by Darci Hannah is one of them.

The Beacon Bakeshop series centers around Lindsey Bakewell and her bakeshop in a lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan.  Not only is the shop in the lighthouse but she lives there as well.  You have to admit that is cool and you want to live there or at least visit .... just try to plan your visit when there isn't a murder and Lindsey and her crew aren't busy trying to solve the case ... I mean help the police solve it.

Lindsey, her boyfriend Rory and her best friend Kennedy and Kennedy's ex-boyfriend Tucker who is a police officer always seem to meet and work out the murder and suspect list.  Unfortunately the murder in Murder at the Lemonberry Tea hits too close to home for Lindsey as it happens because she is the one who brought everyone to town ....

In Murder at the Lemonberry Tea Lindsey is hosting an event featuring Vivi Lemonberry who is a celebrity baker and cookbook author from the UK.  It is a very exciting time as Kennedy's mother, sister, and grandmother are there as well.  Unfortunately during the planned event another cookbook and baking celebrity shows up and slaps Vivi.  This ends the event and Vivi seems to go into hiding.

Sadly when Lindsey and Rory are out for her scuba diving lesson, she finds Vivi's body weighed down in the lake.  And it looks like the killer may be trying to frame Lindsey.  This gets the group together quickly and the dry erase board out and the suspect list started.  

While they try to uncover Vivi's killer, the soon learn that Vivi had a lot of enemies and there are more people in Beacon Harbor who have motive.

Readers will have a blast reading this story.  Hannah will have you trying to take notes of your own to try to uncover the killer but as with the story and Lindsey and crew, things will unravel quickly and you won't know who to trust and who to believe .......

Planes, Candy Canes, and Hearses: ( A Cookies & Chance Mysteries novella, book # 14.5) by Catherine Bruns

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a tasty holiday treat....

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for Sally Muccio. The part-time sleuth and full-time baker is up to her elbows in sugar and a puzzling mystery that threatens to ruin her jolly holiday...

As Sal and her good friend Josie prepare to close their bakery to enjoy Christmas Eve, as well as Sal’s daughter’s birthday, a last-minute sojourn to the airport interferes. Sal mistakenly thinks this will be a quick outing to pick up her father from a business trip. But with the weather outside frightful, and her delightful father nowhere to be found, her fears quickly begin to escalate.

Where is Domenic Muccio, and why isn’t he answering his phone? And who is the mysterious companion he was seen leaving the airport with? If Sal doesn’t find her father soon, no one will be rocking around the Christmas tree.

Includes a delicious recipe for candy cane cookies!

What critics are

"A fantastic cozy mystery!"
~ InD'Tale Magazine

"I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!"
~ Fresh Fiction

"The Cookies and Chance Mystery series is more than just a series....it's a family !! Once you read the first book, you are hooked and feel like a member of the crazy Muccio family."
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews  (Summary via Goodreads)

Anyone that knows me knows that the Cookie & Chance Mystery series by Catherine Bruns is my favorite series.  Any time that I can escape with Sally, Josie, Mike and the rest of the families you know that I'm doing it.  And I will stay there as long as I want .....  unfortinately with Planes, Candy Canes, and Hearses my time with them is very short as this is a novella.  However, even though it is a short story, it is still packed with a great captivating tale ..... 

In Planes, Candy Canes and Hearses it is Christmas Eve and a very pregnant Sally has to pick up her dad from the airport and then go to her parents house for Christmas Eve dinner and her daughter Cookie's birthday celebration.  But, of course, it isn't that simple.  First Sally's car won't start so Josie takes her in the van.  Then secondly when they get to the airport Domenic is no where to be found but his luggage is still on the carousel .....

Sally tries not to panic but it is not like her dad to be missing.  Yes he is very wierd but he would never want his family to worry.  

Sally has to find her dad and get him and herself safely to dinner or else ...... 

Once you read any of the books in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series you are a devoted fan !!!  You may try to read the stories slowly so that your time with the characters will last but once you start reading you will not want to stop !!!!

Mashed Potato Murder (A Merry Wrath Mysteries novella) by Leslie Langtry

From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a hilarious holiday "homicide" you'll never forget!

It’s Thanksgiving—time for family, fun and… murder?

Thanksgiving would seem to be the holiday for sharing—that is, except for the bloodbath that usually occurs over the last crescent roll. This year, ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout leader, Merry Wrath, has to host the turkeystravaganza with her husband Rex’s family and a few friends. And with eccentric-eater Officer Kevin Dooley around, she also has to set up a security perimeter to defend the leftovers.

Turns out, the turkey’s not the only thing that is dead…

Things really get interesting when the world’s most terrifying thirteen-year-old, Betty, shows up with a Murder Mystery Game, where everyone is a character and the victim only pretends to be dead. But there are secrets served up with the turkey and gravy, and Merry realizes she doesn’t know everything about her kith and kin. At least it’s only a pretend murder, but Merry has a reputation to protect. Can she solve the "murder" before everyone else and keep her spot as the best amateur detective in the family?

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)

Mashed Potato Murder is a novella in the Merry Wrath Mystery series by Leslie Langtry and it is just in time for Thanksgiving.

In Mashed Potato Murder Merry and her husband Rex are hosting Thanksgiving at their house for a group of their friends as both sets of parents have other plans.  Little did they know that they were going to have to protect their leftovers from a very hungry Officer Kevin Dooley who can't help that he is always hungry.

Another surprise is when Betty, a member of the Girl Scout troop that Merry leads, brings a game for everyone to play and things get scary.  Everyone is provided with an envelope giving them information about their character in the game.  Then when one of them is murdered, they have to find out who the guilty party is but are only allowed to ask a few questions to the other players.

With over thirty books and novellas in the Merry Wrath Mystery series readers know that they are in for a good story.  Obviously Langtry knows what she is doing.  And the fun thing about Mashed Potato Murder is that no one really dies, it's all for fun !!!

I'll Be Home for Mischief (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Book # 5) by Jacqueline Frost

Innkeeper Holly White is decking the halls this Christmas season, but someone is on the naughty list when a body is discovered in the fifth installment in the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

It’s Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine, and the Historical Society has launched a widespread campaign to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family, the Snows, have returned for the first time, and Holly is determined to make the family’s visit magical. In an attempt to put Mistletoe on the map, Holly’s mother, a respected local baker, attempts to break a record by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man, but her plans are whisked away when Mr. Snow’s body ends up in the batter. 

When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.

When someone breaks into Holly’s office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?  (Summary via Goodreads)

It doesn't matter if you are reading the first book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series, Twelve Slays of Christmas, or the latest and fifth book, I'll Be Home for Mischief, author Jacqueline Frost is guaranteed to win you over !!  This series has so much for readers to love and she sets the stage beautifully so that you feel like you are right there inside the story.

In I'll Be Home for Mischief the town of Mistletoe, Maine is gearing up for the Christmas season and Holly White and her parents are ready at their tree farm.  Now this tree farm is so much more .... they have the inn decked out in holiday decorations that Holly oversees, the Hearth that Holly's mom runs and bakes delicious treats, the grounds that her father is in.  And this year the town and Historical Society are celebrating their 150th anniversary and they have turned downtown into a Victorian Christmas.

Holly's mom is also trying to get into the Guiness Book of World's Record by making the largest gingerbread man cookie.  Unfortunately before the cookie can be baked, they find one of the guests staying at the inn dead in the batter.  And you know what Holly is going to do .... even though her husband the Sheriff would like her to stay as far away as possible.  Now we know that that will be impossible for her and she wouldn't be her if she didn't do whatever she can to ensure her town and everyone living and visiting there is safe.

The Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series is such a treat to read.  As soon as you finish the first chapter you are hooked !!!  It opens your imagination wide open and you can picture everything, you may even think you can smell the baked goods and taste the hot cocoa !!  I know I can !!!  You will fall in love with the characters and want to be in their little, amazing group.  And the way that Frost builds up the characters and their lives, you know you are a fan and will be back with every new book she writes so that you can grow with them as you settle in and visit .....

Gingerbread Danger (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery Book # 9) by Amanda Flower

Amanda Flower’s USA Today bestselling Amish Candy Shop Mysteries combines a fascinating look at Amish life with the sugar rush of candy making, a quirky whodunit, and a hint of romance between chocolatier Bailey King and her law enforcer boyfriend. This eighth installment raises the charm even more, as Christmas preparations are underway in the small town of Harvest, Ohio.

Amish Candy shop owner and star of TV’s Bailey’s Amish Sweets, Bailey King has a lot to be excited about. She’s happily engaged to Aiden Brody, newly appointed county sheriff, and her candy factory is finally having its grand opening in Harvest, Ohio—just before Christmas! Bailey is ready to let the sweet celebrations
begin . . .

With the help of local community organizer Margot Rawlings, Harvest will have a Candy Land themed Christmas on the village square—featuring Bailey’s recently perfected recipe for gingerbread men. When the big day comes, everything is going well—until bitter news arrives. One of Bailey’s Amish friends has been killed in an apparent accident just outside the candy factory. Aiden is promptly on the case—with more than a little input from Bailey . . .

Together, they soon learn that the victim was working for some powerful men in the county, and in doing so was spying on his own Amish community. Still, Bailey is determined to find the perpetrator. If she can’t cut out the killer from the rest of the suspects, her gingerbread men won’t be the only ones in danger of disappearing . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower is a great series to get lost in and Gingerbread Danger, the ninth book is out !!!

In Gingerbread Danger the town of Harvest is celebrating the Christmas holiday season with a Candy Land game on the town square for children of all ages to enjoy and main character Bailey King and her candy shop and factory are supplying the candy for the game.  This time of year the candy shop is always busy and this is the first year for her new candy factory and both are going well ..... until the organizer of the event, Margot, insists on putting one of the huge game pieces on the roof of the factory without talking to Bailey.  Bailey doesn't want it there so she asks her employee, Zeph, to remove it.

Unfortunately there is what seems to be an accident and Zeph falls to his death from the roof.  But Bailey being Bailey doesn't think it's that simple so she sets out to find out more about Zeph.  But looking into Zeph will not be easy seeing as he was part of the one Amish community but she learns that he was living elsewhere and not acting Amish anymore.  Luckily Zeph's sister, Lida, works for Bailey so maybe she can help ....

There is a lot going on in Gingerbread Danger .... the town square is set up for everyone to enjoy the holidays, Bailey's two businesses are extremely busy, Bailey's parents are visiting and her mother wants to plan Bailey and Aiden's wedding, Bailey's soon to be mother-in-law keeps asking Bailey to pig sit, Jethro, and Aiden is again in the middle of a serious possible murder case and trying to keep Bailey from doing her own investigating, businesses and homes are being robbed which is putting everyone on edge ......... and more that you wil have to read about on your own !!!

Anytime that a reader can escape into a good book is a good day and Flower knows how to make that experience one to remember even after you finish the story.  The Amish Candy Shop Mystery series is a real treat to devour and I highly encourage you to dig in !!!

In the Blink of a Pie (Maple Syrup Mysteries Book # 3) by Catherine Bruns

USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns is back with the third installment in the "delightfully sweet" Maple Syrup Mysteries, transporting readers back to the cozy town of Sugar Ridge, Vermont, where things are bound to go from sweet, to sour.

Sometimes, there's no one you can crust...

It's Thanksgiving in Sugar Ridge, Vermont, and Leila Khoury, manager of Sappy Endings Farm, is ready to usher in the holiday season by hosting a pie-baking contest. The day is meticulously planned, from the judging panel to the maple lattes, and Leila can't wait for the entire town to enjoy some sweet treats.

But when a neighbor drops dead from sampling a poisoned pumpkin pie, it's not just Leila's perfect day that's in jeopardy—her livelihood is now at stake. And after yet another near-fatal incident, she realizes an even more terrifying the killer wasn't targeting her neighbor, but someone even closer to home! 

Can Leila figure out who's behind the murder, before the dough hits the fan?

Includes delicious holiday pie recipes!   (Summary via Goodreads)

In the Blink of a Pie by Catherine Bruns is the third book in her Maple Syrup Mystery series and I hope you are a fan .... if not, you will become one after you read what I have to say .... I hope.

In In the Blink of a Pie Sappy Endings is gearing up for one of their busiest times of the year.  And to kick off the big Thanksgiving holiday, they have decided to have a pie contest.  And the rules are that the pies have to be homemade and they have to include maple syrup in the recipe.  

Main character Leila Khoury took over the family business, Sappy Endings, when her father died.  She returned home to Sugar Ridge Vermont from Florida and is now running the business with her boyfriend Noah and her mother. 

Unfortunately before the contest kicks off Leila has to run up to the main building and when she gets back her nosy neighbor Margaret Middleton has decided that she is going to be a judge and takes a bite of one of the pies.  A few minutes later she collapses and is taken to the hospital.  Sadly she does not make it and it is discovered that the pie that she tasted was poisoned.

So was someone targeted or is there a crazy person who takes joy in killing anyone ??  Well, Leila is going to find out with her trusty best friend Heather helping.  

Lelia has been able to solve a few murders in the past, with her father's being the first, but this may be more that she can handle .... but she is not going to let anything stop her when Sappy Endings is taking the hit for it with sales down drastically.  She will do anything to save her family's business and not let her father's dream end.

I cannot say enough about this series.  It is set in beautiful Vermont at a maple syrup business with some great people running it.  The town is nice and most of the residents are friendly and you will want to go visit and enjoy the day !!  

Isabella at the Pond (Summer at Mistletoe Inn vol. 1) by Margaret Evans with Julie Hatton (translator)

When Laura Keene and her husband Connor Fitzpatrick are invited to spend a summertime holiday at Mistletoe Inn with the Kovacs brothers, they expect to help with kitchen renovations. But what they find is more mysteries surrounding the fourth brother, Joe Kovacs, when his cousin Esther goes missing, and they discover a mysterious set of brass keys with nothing to open. Of course, Laura’s cat, Empress Isabella, hops a ride-along and has other plans for them all. Don’t miss her antics as she helps to unravel the mysteries with a big white rabbit!  (Summary via Goodreads)

Whenever you start reading a book with Empress Isabella in it, you know you are in for a crazy ride and a delightful treat and in this latest novella, Isabella at the Pond, she is being helped by Whiskers, a fun loving rabbit.  Author Margaret Evans knows how to pack a lot into these novellas so readers feel like they are reading a normal sized book.

Evans has written novellas with Empress Isabella helping her human, Laura Keene Fitzpatrick, with only Laura being the one who can see the cat.  But as time passed and things happened like Laura marrying Connor and they have become very close with the Kovac brothers, Empress Isabella has begun to show herself to them.

And in Isabella at the Pond not only does Empress Isabella show herself but now her friend Whiskers, the rabbit, is there to lend a hand.  

In this latest novella Laura and Connor are again joining the Kovac brothers at their old family house, Mistletoe Inn, to get to know the fourth brother they just found out about, Joe.  So instead of it being the Kovac triplets, it is the Kovac quadruplets and they all could not be happier !!  Unfortunately Joe finds out that his cousin Esther, who is supposed to be joining them all at the Inn, did not make her flight and it looks like she vanished in thin air ..... but Empress Isabella and Whiskers are on the case ..... 

There is so much that I am not telling readers so that they will go and grab their copy of this fun novella.  There is so much to love, so much to make readers turn the pages quickly and so much to make readers long for more .... which I hope Evans hurries up and writes more !!

Mingling with Murder (A Merry Wrath Mystery Book # 32) by Leslie Langtry

From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a mingle turned murder...

Welcome to Mingle, Iowa—We’re Putting Our Past Behind Us!

Merry Wrath, ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout leader, is accompanying thirteen year olds Mayor Ava, Betty, Lauren, and Inez from her troop to the regional conference for small town mayors. Mingle, Iowa, the home of the Mayor Mingle conference, is famous for a major scandal in the 1980s that no one seems to remember, even though the current mayor does everything in his power to keep them from forgetting!

Have dinner at the Nothing to See Here Restaurant! Relax at the It Didn’t Quite Happen That Way Bar!

Merry is excited that her husband and detective, Rex, is getting an award for having a 100% murder solve rate! But she's concerned that Ava's presenting The Most Murdery Town—How To Utilize Your Town’s Biggest Assets! Not to be outdone, Ava's right hand henchgirl, Betty, is presenting on How to Bend City Hall to Your Will & Everything I Learned From Huey Long. Merry’s hoping she can sit in on the sessions to jump in when things most likely go awry (as they often do).

We hope you survive—er, enjoy your stay!

Unfortunately, things go very awry when one of the mayors is murdered. But who did it? Was it the mayor from the town famous for its termite infestation? Could it be the snooty mayor who descended from her town’s founders? Or the mayor who always dresses like an ear of corn? How about the mayor from the lobster capital of Iowa? Or the mayor who is an actual pig? It doesn’t help that the victim's dying wish was for Rex to solve this case before the conference ends despite it being out of his jurisdiction! Can Merry and Rex solve this crime in time—or is Mingle destined to have the stain of a new scandal on their Welcome To billboard?

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)

With Mingling with Murder being the thirty-second book in the Merry Wrath Mystery series by Leslie Langtry I don't think readers need any encouragement to read these books.  I would have to think and believe that there is already a huge fan base for this series ..... but just in case there are still some cozy mystery readers out there that are not familiar with this series and are looking for something new to read, here you go !!

Unfortunately I, myself, have only read a few books in this series but as soon as I opened up Mingling with Murder and started reading I was hooked !!  This series is a HOOT !!!  Besides there being a murder to solve, the characters and the towns are so much fun !!

In Mingling with Murder main character Merry Wrath is tagging along to the annual Mayor Mingle.  Her husband, Detective Rex Ferguson is receving an award for 100% solve rate on cases in their hometown Who's There in Iowa.  Also attending the Mayor Mingle is their mayor, thirteen year old Ava and her three friends of the same age.

Unfortunately on the early in the conference during dinner, the Mayor of Mingle, Mayor Michael, gets sick and ends up in the hospital.  It is soon learned that he was poisoned and before he died, he wrote a note to Rex to solve this !!  Even though it isn't his jurisdiction, he feels he should investigate.  So he works along side Detective Bill Upton from Mingle while Merry gets to know his sister, Mary, and finds out they have a lot in common.

Also Merry has to keep her eye on her young mayor and friends as they are acting strange .... well stranger than normal.

Readers cannot help but become fans of this series.  It is such a unique series with so many different things for readers to love.  I wish I had started with the first book but am glad that I was able to read the ones I did.

Death at a Scottish Christmas (A Scottish Isle Mystery Book # 3) by Lucy Connelly

Merriment, mistletoe, and murder await in the third installment of the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Joanne Fluke.

Sea Isle, Scotland, is magical during the holiday season, and Dr. Emilia McRoy can’t wait to enjoy everything her village has to offer. But when the lead singer of a famous band is murdered in the village, just as they were about to launch a world tour, her holiday instantly comes to a halt. 

As the band’s future hangs in the balance, Emilia discovers that the victim was working on new music that has since disappeared. Were these new lyrics worth killing for? And if so, who is the culprit? It seems more than one person wanted this music star dead. Shockingly, beloved constable Ewan Campbell becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, putting a damper on the town’s festivities.

With an ever-growing list of suspects, Emilia will need all the help she can get to figure out who is framing poor Ewan. Between a secret Santa that wants her dead, stalkers, and killer holiday celebrations, Emilia must see the devil in the details and discover the truth before it’s too late. (Summary via Goodreads)

Reading Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly will definitely put you in the Christmas mood ... even though there is a murder and a murderer on the loose you cannot help but feel Christmas-y.

Death at a Scottish Christmas is the third book in Connelly's Scottish Isle Mystery series and you will fall for the little Scottish town immediately.  And with it having to do with Christmas you will fall in love even more.

Okay maybe I should talk about the murder seeing as this is a cozy mystery story ....  The little town of Sea Isle is decked out for the holidays and the residents are excited because a few of their own are coming back to town to perform with their band.  The band Bram and the Stokers are getting ready to take their band to the States and wanted to play on home turf once more and perform a few new songs to see how it went.

The night was spectacular, more that anyone would have thought.  Unfortunately the next morning when main character Dr. Emilia McRoy is on her way to breakfast, she finds Bram sitting by himself on the beach.  And when she goes to talk to him, she finds out he is dead !!  And sadly the constable, Ewan, Campbell, is on the suspect list as he and Bram have bad history.

Emilia is suppose to be on vacation until after the holidays but as one of her duties is coroner, she has to see to Bram's autopsy.  Plus she always wants to get answers and when she discovers that Bram was murdered, she jumps right into the case. 

Luckily for Emilia she has a great assistant and friends and they all help her anyway that they can and she will need it with this case.  And Ewan isn't happy when Detective Inspector Bethany Thomson shows up to also work the case .... which means she is looking at Ewan as a worthy suspect.  Now Emilia needs to work on the case because she knows he would never hurt another person, especially when the history is as ancient as his and Brams was.

Readers will love this series and if you haven't read any of the books in this series, you have time to catch up.  Once you open one of these books, you will find it almost impossible to put it down.

Gathering Mist ( Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Book # 9 ) by Margaret Mizushima

Secrets hide within the fog deep in the mossy forests of the Pacific Northwest, in this ninth thrilling installment in award-winning author Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series. 

Deputy Mattie Wray, formerly Mattie Cobb, is summoned to Washington’s Olympic peninsula for an urgent search and rescue mission to find a celebrity’s missing child. With only a week left before her wedding, Mattie is hesitant to leave Timber Creek, but her K-9 partner Robo’s tracking skills are needed.

Dense forest, chilling rain, and unfriendly locals hamper their efforts, and soon Mattie suspects something more sinister than a lost child is at play.  When one of the SAR dogs becomes ill, her fiancé Cole Walker suspects poison. Fearing for Mattie’s and Robo’s safety, Cole joins the search and rescue team as veterinary support.

Secrets that have lain hidden within the rugged terrain come to light and when it is uncovered that the missing child was kidnapped, the search becomes a full-blown crime scene investigation, forcing Mattie, Robo, and Cole into a desperate search to find the missing child before it's too late. (Summary via Goodreads)

Before I get into talking about my thoughts on the latest Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by Margaret Mizushima, Gathering Mist, I really want to talk about the cover of this book.  This cover really captures the essence of the story and just by looking at the cover as you read this amazing story, you will actually FEEL the story through the cover.

In Gathering Mist main character Deputy Mattie Wray is about the marry her boyfriend, veterinarian Cole Walker, and become a family with him and his two daughters.  Unfortunately before they do that Mattie is called away to the site where a movie is fiming in the middle of the forest in Washington.  River the nine year old son of the main actress, Chrystal Winters, appears to have wondered off site and cannot be located.  They are requesting top K-9 search and rescue dogs to join in the search.  And Mattie's dog Robo is the best of the best.

But when another SAR dog becomes ill, Cole is brought in in case it was something serious.  He joins in the search and helps in anyway that he can.  Unfortunately they are up against harsh rain and cold temperatures and the searching is goinig slow with no signs of River. 

Readers will be so engrossed in the story that you will feel like you are getting wet from the rain and feel the chill in the air.  You will want to help Mattie and Robo find River safe and sound so that her and Cole can head back to Denver and get married and start their new lives together .... but you know that finding River alive is the only thing on their minds.