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.

The Grim Steeper (Witches' Brew Mystery Book # 3) by Gretchen Rue

Bookstore owner Phoebe Winchester is putting on her first major author event when a body is discovered and the plot goes off the rails in this cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Cleo Coyle and Jenn McKinlay.

Amateur witch Phoebe Winchester is excited to host her first big author event at the Earl’s Study, her book and tea store. The author, Sebastian Marlow, is a famous birder excited to put Raven Creek on the map for his rediscovery of a presumed-extinct bird. When Sebastian is found dead before his planned bird hike, where he expected to prove the existence of the bird to fellow birding enthusiasts, it’s obvious someone wanted him to be extinct, too.

Sebastian had a few unfriendly encounters with his staff—including his recently fired manager, who was seen arguing with him at the author event. Phoebe is determined to figure out who killed Sebastian, worried that it will negatively affect her store’s image that her biggest guest author got killed. With the clock ticking, she enlists the help of Rich Lofting, the handsome local private investigator, to help her look into the murder.

It’s not long before another victim is pecked off and someone close to Phoebe is the suspect. She’ll have to work quickly to uncover the killer and figure out who’s up to fowl play in the third charming book in this warm and witchy series.  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Witches' Brew Mystery series is such a fun series !!  And with The Grim Steeper being the third book in the series, if you haven't read any, you will be caught up in no time !!!

In The Witches' Brew Mystery series main character Phoebe Winchester has moved to Raven Creek after her aunt passed away leaving Phoebe her home, store and practically the entire town ... but she didn't tell her that she had been a witch and that Phoebe herself could possess the same qualities.

Now in The Grim Steeper while Phoebe is still trying to wrap her head around being a witch, because now she has experienced things and has been able to get help from another witch in town, she is gearing up for a big event in the Earl's Study.  The Earl's Study is the book and tea store her aunt left her and she is finally feeling like she belongs and is happy to be doing more within the town.

Luckily the book signing for Sebastian Marlow at the Earl's Study goes remarkably well but when Phoebe is on her way to the site where they are suppose to meet the next day for the nature hike with Sebastian, she notices police activity at the B & B where Sebastian and his group are staying.  Phoebe stops and finds out that Sebastian is dead and was murdered !!

Phoebe cannot help but feel like it is her fault that he is dead seeing as she is the reason he came to town.  So Phoebe decides to look into his death and who better that her old friend and possibly future boyfriend Rich to assist.  

But before they can figure anything out there is another murder, another visitor in town, but not with Sebastian and his group, and two of Sebastian's group are missing !!!  And another childhood friend, Leo, is taken in for questioning.  This seems like too much for Phoebe to handle and when some of her magical abilities show up unexpectantly, she has more important things to focus on .... or does she ??

There is so much more that I could tell you but I really don't want to give anything away and I really want you to be as surprised and excited as I was when I was reading The Grim Steeper.  I honestly think readers will enjoy this cozy series and having a witch as the main character really enhances the story and seeing Phoebe try to navigate her powers will put a smile on your face as you imagine the scenes.

Killer Under Contract (Cindy York Mystery Book #6) by Catherine Bruns

There's no such thing as the perfect house when karma comes to call...

With the real estate world thriving and her daughter’s wedding around the corner, Cindy York is busier than ever. The bridal couple is searching for the home of their dreams and she's only too happy to help it become a reality.

When her daughter locates a house she wants to buy, Cindy is less than thrilled to discover that the listing agent is Hillary Ryder, a condescending snob who once dated Cindy's husband before they were married. For her daughter's sake, she decides to cooperate. But when Cindy arrives for the listing appointment and finds Hillary's lifeless body, she realizes her troubles are just beginning.

Cindy doesn’t want to get involved in another murder investigation, but it soon becomes apparent that someone doesn’t want this house to sell. What kind of secrets are lurking inside? Cindy is determined to close this deal, but she might die trying.  (Summary via Goodreads)

One thing that I love when reading books in a series is how easily you glide into the story.  As soon as you start reading a book in the series, you get the feeling like you are home and with the people you love.  That is how I feel when I start reading a book in the Cindy York Mystery series by Catherine Bruns.  Killer Under Contract is the sixth book in this series and hopefully you have read the previous books so that you also feel the connection.  If not, you have time to catch up or just die right in with this book.

In Killer Undert Contract Cindy and her husband Greg are getting ready for their eldest daughter, Darcy, to walk down the aisle and marry the love of her life.  But first they want to pick out their forever home and who better than to help but Darcy's own mother !!  So while Cindy is keeping the house in order, making dinner for her family of 6, taking care of the family pets, working her realtor job, making sure everything is in order for the upcoming wedding, keeping her bride from getting too stressed, she will help find the house of her dreams.  Unforunately she didn't know that the house of Darcy's dreams would have the realtor from Greg's past that he would like to keep in the past. 

When Darcy finds the house she loves Cindy reaches out to the realtor and finds out that the agent is Greg's old high school sweetheart and ex-fiance, Hillary.  Cindy's boss, Jacques, says that he will play interference but Cindy will have none of that and contacts her and sets up a meeting.  It seems that Hillary has returned home after thirty years to try to win Greg back but before she can do that, Cindy finds her dead in the kitchen in Darcy's dream house.

There is no reason for Cindy and her partner in crime Jacques to look into the murder as it has no affect on Cindy but because her daughter still wants the house, they decide to team up as they have in the past and play Holmes and Watson and solve a murder .... again !!!

The Cindy York Mystery series is a great series to get lost into.  You will love the every day happenings in the York family and love their close friends.  Cindy and Jacques have an amazing relationship personally and professionally and you will long for that if you don't already have that in your life.  Not to mention the love between Cindy and Greg and their relationships with the kids.  And then you add a murder or two into the mix and you are hooked !!!  

Bruns knows how to grab your attention immediately and you will be lost into the story and everything around you will fade away ..... but that's okay as long as you don't have dinner in the oven or water boiling on the stove.  I highly recommend grabbing your copy of Killer Under Contract and all the previous books in you haven't read them yet ... you can thank me later.

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Lies (Sunny Side Up Mysteries Book 1) by Misty Simon

Welcome to the Sunny Side Up Diner, where the pancakes are fluffy, the bacon is crisp, and murder should not be on the menu…

Jax Tapman has lived in the same small town her whole life. On one hand, it's helped her dream of buying the local diner with her best friend come true, and their newly opened business is hopping. On the other hand, it means everyone knows her, and she pretty much never gets away with anything. There are a lot of expectations that come along with being the town darling.

So, when Jax finds a dead body behind her Aunt Hildy’s restaurant, surely no one will truly believe she did it, right?

Wrong. The victim was strangled with swag from Jax's diner, and suddenly every eye is squarely on her, town darling or not! Enter Eliot Taylor, Aunt Hildy’s new cook and a former cop who grudgingly agrees to help Jax clear her name and save the diner's reputation. Only the deeper they dig, the more dirt they churn up, proving there’s far more happening in the small, innocent town than meets the eye.

Together they’ll uncover more secrets than Jax can shake a spatula at and far more danger than she might be ready to handle. Can Jax save her reputation and solve a murder...or will this order be her last?  (Summary via Goodreads)

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Lies is the first book in the Sunny Side Up Mystery series written by Misty Simon and I can tell you right away that this is going to be a series to watch and will become one of your favorites to read !!!

Ever since Jax can remember she has always wanted to own a diner, and not just any diner, she wanted the one that she and her best friend Dani worked in when they were teenagers in high school.  So when the owner Jeb decides to sell, Jax talks Dani into moving back to their hometown and co-owning in with her.  And now after being open for six months, they are celebrating !!!  Unfortunately things are going to turn quickly .....

While Jax and Dani are trying to celebrate their success at Jax's aunt Hildy's upscale restaurant, there is a commotion and Hildy asks Jax to go out the back and give Roderick the keys to her car so that he can make a hasty escape and not deal with Delilah's outburst.  Of course Jax does what she is asked of but when she slips out the back door, Roderick is no where to be found.  But when she walks around she finds him out in the garbage enclosure dead .... and strangled by a lanyard with her diner information on it that she just picked up from the printer and are locked in her car.

Luckily for Jax her father is a detective with the police force.  Unluckily for Jax her father is a detective with the police force.  So Jax has no choice but to play by the rules ... mostly.  But then her father asks her to do some investigating of her own with the help of Hildy's chef, Eliot, who happens to have been a police officer until recently.

Eliot has secrets of his own as well as Jax keeping a huge one from her family, friends, and business partner so working together will be a piece of cake !!  Especially seeing as Jax, with coaxing from Dani, cannot help but notice how attractive he is !!!

Readers cannot help but fall in love with this first book !!!  Simon has you laughing out loud when you read the part where Jax stumbles upon Roderick's dead body and the dilemma she goes through on what to do and how unprepared she is when she doesn't have her phone at the ready.  She is probably the most laid backed person in cozy history to ever be in that position.  And you continue to fall in love as you dive deeper into the story.  I, for many, congratulate Simon on her new release and new series and I, for one, look forward to more books in the series !!!!

A Dark and Stormy Knit (A Knit & Nibble Mystery Book # 11) by Peggy Ehrhart

Pamela Paterson and Bettina Fraser call their crafting group Knit and Nibble, in honor of its two main activities. But on a stormy Halloween night, their peaceful chat over spiced cider and cookies is interrupted by homicide . . . 

With the houses of Arborville, New Jersey, decked out in festively frightening decorations, it’s easy to mistake a real dead body for a fake. But Pamela and Bettina are alerted by the screams of teenage trick-or-treaters to the corpse next door. Their neighbor Adrienne’s sister, visiting from New York City, is slumped on the porch, fatally stabbed. And with countless people traipsing around in costume, the killer might be as elusive as an apple in a bucket of water. 

The victim was a charismatic college professor and fierce feminist, and soon the women are infiltrating her social and academic circles to collect clues. But some scandalous local gossip also suggests that Adrienne, not her sister, might have been the target. Now, Pamela and Bettina will need all their creative skills to solve this ghoulish crime . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

Just in time for the fall and Halloween seasons Peggy Ehrhart releases her eleventh book in the Knit & Nibble Mystery series ..... A Dark and Stormy Knit.  Sadly I have only read novellas written about this series but that didn't take away from the story and the excitement surrounding it.

In A Dark and Stormy Knit main characters Pamela and Bettina are enjoying a treat with Bettina's husband Wilfred after attending a Halloween themed event but are roused from the house when they hear screaming and determine that it is something serious and not a Halloween prank.  The screaming leads them to Wilfred and Bettina's neighbor's house where a few last minute teenage trick-or-treater's happened on a dead body ..... It is soon learned that the woman stabbed on the front porch is not the homeowner, Adrienne, but her sister, Mel, who is in town to take a break from her city life.

Adrienne asks Bettina and Pamela for their help in solving her sister's murder seeing as she doesn't really trust Detective Lucas Clayborn to do the job effectively.  And the first thing she wants them to do with her is go to the city and look around her sister's apartment for clues.  Mel was a member of a feminist group and they took their cause very seriously but serious enough to kill over ?

While Bettina and Pamela help Adrienne they are still going on with things in their own lives like lunches with Wilfred as the chef, their Knit and Nibble group and their personal jobs.  The small town of Arborville may be small but it is hopping for these ladies.

Readers will enjoy their time in Arborville and wish they lived on Orchard Street and was a neighbor so that they could partake in the shared meals with this group.  You may even think about taking up knitting so that you can be a part of the group even more.  Or maybe just the occasional visitor when Ehrhart releases the latest book in the series.  Regardless you will be an instant fan and love your time in Arborville.