Death Upon a Star (An Evelyn Galloway Mystery Book # 1) by Amy Patricia Meade

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Be careful what you wish for . . . Introducing Hollywood script supervisor Evelyn Galloway, who's drawn into a murder investigation after landing her dream job on the set of Hitchcock's Rebecca.

1939, Los Angeles. Evelyn Galloway can't believe her luck! On her first day in LA, she lands her dream job of script supervisor, and on the hottest film in town - Hitchcock's adaptation of Rebecca. But her good fortune quickly changes when a legendary actor cancels their lunch the following day and is found murdered at home.

Evelyn realizes she could be a witness to the crime, having passed the bungalow's grounds on her way home the night before. Who was the man looking upset in a gazebo? And why was movie starlet Madeleine Nabors running wildly away from the scene?

When the tabloid reports contradict what Evelyn saw with her own eyes, she soon finds herself pitted against powerful studio bosses and unscrupulous journalists as she races to uncover the truth. (Summary via Goodreads)

Amy Patricia Meade has a new series with the first book just released. Death Upon A Star is the first book in the Evelyn Galloway Mystery Series and it is set in 1939.  Evelyn Galloway is fresh off the plane from New York to Los Angeles and lands her dream job of script supervisor on a movie set ... all before she has even had time to grab her luggage and see where she will be living.

Once it is confirmed that she is indeed hired, her boss, Mr. Hitchcock sends her to lunch and while on lunch she recognizing an actor, John Cunningham Margrave, in the canteen and they begin a friendship.  Mr. Margrave misses their next scheduled lunch date and when Evelyn gets off the bus stop near her apartment, she witnesses some weird occurences by the Alvarado Apartments, not knowing that the two things go together.

When Evelyn reads the story in the newspaper about Mr. Margrave's death, she goes to the police station to tell them that they got everything wrong.  When Detective Ziegler hears this, and they have a conversation, he believes that she was there and they share information, of course, he can't tell her everything.

Evelyn and her roommate Mary, who also works in the movie industry, hit it off instantly and Mary does what she can to help Evelyn settle in and discuss Margrave's murder.  Evelyn also meets Antonio, who runs the film value, and he joins the ladies with the investigating.

There is nothing stopping Evelyn from finding out the truth .... not getting knocked outside the crime scene and having to stay in the hospital overnight, or when someone confesses to the murder, or all the lies and stories that she hears.

Meade has the beginnings of a great series with this first book laying things out for readers.  There is something about reading books set back in time when things were simpler, no internet, not everyone had a landline, you read the newspaper and listened to the radio or went to the movies.  I highly recommend grabbing your copy and taking a trip back in time for a while .... and Meade leaves readers wanting more with the way she ends Death Upon a Star.  You will be trying to wait patiently for book two .....

Essence of Foul Play (An Aroma Wellness Mystery Book #1) by Daryl Wood Gerber

Emma Brennan may have her head in a cloud of eucalyptus, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground in breathtaking Carmel, California, as she prepares to open her new spa business, Aroma Wellness. But all the reiki, shiatsu, and massage in the world can’t help her relax when she’s accused of murder . . .

Everything is going smoothly as Emma prepares for the grand opening of the spa. The therapy rooms are painted. The sales shop and café are stocked with meditative and delicious goodies, from essential oils to avocado masks and prickly pear massages. The fountain in the Courtyard of Peace is burbling with good vibrations. In fact, there isn’t a whiff of trouble until that morning when Emma is shocked to learn that a rival spa owner has been bludgeoned . . . with an item from the goodwill basket Emma gave her. Worse, a witness is pointing the finger at Emma . . .
 
With the police treating Emma like she’s the only suspect, and the town’s anti New Age anything posse badmouthing her every step of the way, she’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Incensed by the accusations but empowered by her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma reviews the potpourri of possible suspects, determined to uncover the essence of foul play—before she’s cold-pressed for murder . . .
 
Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber’s Fairy Garden Mysteries
 
“A charming cozy with gardening tips, recipes, and a raft of suspects for those who don’t believe in fairies.” — Kirkus Reviews
 
“Enchanting series launch from Agatha Award winner Gerber. . . . Cozy fans will wish upon a star for more.” —Publishers Weekly

“A winner . . . Fans of Laura Childs’ work will enjoy.” —Booklist   (Summary via Goodreads)

Essence of Foul Play is the first book in the new Aroma Wellness Mystery series written by Daryl Wood Gerber and she captures your attention immediately.  You will find yourself wanting to be a new resident in Carmel-By-the-Sea and as luck would have it, there may be a place to rent near main character Emma.

In Essence of Foul Play main character Emma is ready to open her spa, Aroma Wellness.  There is so much to do within Aroma Wellness, whether it is to have a massage, facial or mani-pedi, or eat at the cafe run by Emma's cousin, Sierra, or browse the gift shop.  This story could focus on all of this and be a great read but Gerber makes it better with a death ....

Emma's old college friend Willow also has a spa in town, which has been open for a few years already, and is not happy with Emma for opening up one.  Even though Emma insists that Carmel is big enough for both spas, Willow is not satisfied.  Emma decides to get together a gift basket and take it to Willow as a sort of peace offering.

Unfortunately Willow is found murdered in her spa and one of Emma's peace offering gifts is the murder weapon .... and it looks like the detective on the case has her at the top of the suspect list !!

All Emma wants to do is run her spa, make people feel relaxed and pretty, spend time with her famiy and friends, and cuddle with her cat.  But with that dark cloud hanging over her head, she is anything but relaxed.

Readers will love this book amd the story within.  You will love that there is a list of characters in the beginning of the story and it is broken down by human and fairies and animals ..... yes fairies !!  How cool is that ?!?!  You will want to stay inside the story for as long as you can to ensure that everything ends well and Emma can continue with her dream.  I highly encourage you to add this book to you to be read list immediately !!!

Death in the Great Dismal (Will Rees Mysteries Book # 9) by Eleanor Kuhns

Finding themselves in a slave community hidden within the Great Dismal Swamp, Will Rees and his wife Lydia get caught up in a dangerous murder case where no one trusts them.

September 1800 , Maine . Will Rees is beseeched by Tobias, an old friend abducted by slave catchers years before, to travel south to Virginia to help transport his pregnant wife, Ruth, back north. Though he's reluctant, Will's wife Lydia convinces him to go . . . on the condition she accompanies them.

Upon arriving in a small community of absconded slaves hiding within the Great Dismal Swamp, Will and Lydia are met with distrust. Tensions are high and a fight breaks out between Tobias and Scipio, a philanderer with a bounty on his head known for conning men out of money. The following day Scipio is found dead - shot in the back.

Stuck within the hostile Great Dismal and with slave catchers on the prowl, Will and Lydia find themselves caught up in their most dangerous case yet.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Death in the Great Dismal is the ninth book in the Will Rees Mystery series written by Eleanor Kuhns and this one will have you scratching your head ....

In Death in the Great Dismal Will is asked by his friend Tobias to travel to the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to help bring his pregnant wife back to Maine.  Will knows that he shouldn't go because he and his wife Lydia are having marital problems and he really needs to deal with that.  But Lydia surprises him by telling him he needs to go but she is going with them.

Once they get to the little village where Ruth is living, things do not go as planned at all.  Shortly after arriving one of the men from the village is found dead in the woods, murdered, shot in the back.  It seems that two of the villagers, Jackman and Aunt Suke, are the ones that are in charge and when they ask Will to find out who murdered Scipio he cannot say no.  

Besides the murder delaying their departure, it seems that Ruth is not sure if she wants to leave with Tobias or stay in the village.  Will and Lydia try to help the couple out but they are also trying to work through something within their marriage .... but they never seem to find the time to talk about that.

Will is going to have a difficult time trying to find Scipio's murderer seeing as he knows nothing about the people in the village and the members of the village do not trust him at all.  

Readers cannot help getting pulled into this book, or any of the others in this series.  You will fall in love with the characters and even though this story takes place somewhere new and completely outside of anyones's comfort zone, you will be turning the pages as fast as you can to see what happens next because you never know what Kuhns will throw out there .....

The Coral Conspiracy (Aloha Lagoon Resort Mystery Book 24) by Rosalie Spielman)

From author Rosalie Spielman comes a coral-ful new mystery!

Recent graduate Nelly O'Hare was looking forward to studying the picturesque coral reefs of Aloha Lagoon, Hawaii, expecting her new job to be full of sun, surf, and satisfying work. What she wasn't expecting was a pair of arguing professors, an attraction to the resort's hot golf pro, and a totally dysfunctional academic study...ending in murder!

When one of her new bosses is found dead, not only is her ocean study in jeopardy, but the local police are also suddenly asking questions that Nelly doesn't have answers to. Luckily her best friend, Kiki Hepburn, is no stranger to murder investigations, and along with Auntie Akamai and the loud-mouthed Paulie the parrot, she vows to help Nelly find the true killer. From the professor's mousy assistant, to the suspicious man and his weird crabs in the next office, to the impressive ex-wife with a new boyfriend and pampered pooch, there are no shortage of suspects who might have wanted the victim dead. Especially when Nelly discovers that someone seems to have been sabotaging the study findings.

With danger lurking just below the murky surface, Nelly is finding out not everything in Aloha Lagoon is as sunny as it seems. As Nelly closes in on the killer, someone is closing in on Nelly...and if she's not careful, the coral won't be the only thing endangered in Aloha Lagoon!


What critics are

"Death on a Cliff Earns 5/5 Vacation Photos…Engaging Twist & Turns! Cozy Gem!"
~ Kings River Life Magazine

"You are going to want to visit Aloha Lagoon Resort as much as possible, and you will not want to leave!"
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

About Aloha
There's trouble in paradise...
Welcome to Aloha Lagoon, one of Hawaii's hidden treasures. A little bit of tropical paradise nestled along the coast of Kauai, this resort town boasts luxurious accommodation, friendly island atmosphere...and only a slightly higher than normal murder rate. While mysterious circumstances may be the norm on our corner of the island, we're certain that our staff and Lagoon natives will make your stay in Aloha Lagoon one you will never forget!  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Aloha Lagoon Resort Mystery series is an awesome series centered around the Aloha Lagoon Resort in Hawaii and written by multiple authors, most with numerous books. All of the books center around the resort with multiple things in common in them, whether it is people like Detective Ray and Auntie Akamai or the Lava Pot and other businesses.  Rosalie Spielman is one of those authors having written a few surrounding Kiki Hepburn and her adventures including murder and her helping Detective Ray "solve" them.  

And now with The Coral Conspiracy, the twenty-fourth book, Rosalie is introducing us to a new character, Nelly O'Hare, who is Kiki's best friend since they met in college.  Nelly has come to Hawaii to work as an intern on a study of coral reefs for her doctoral thesis for college.  But from the moment that she landed and her luggage did not, she rushes to the office to find the two professors arguing and the cute tenant in the office across the hall wishes her luck because they fight all the time, she wonders if she can do it !!

Luckily Kiki and her fiance, Dex, encourage her to hang in there and she decides she will .... after all it has to get better, right ? Wrong !!   A few days later when Nelly gets to the office, Professor Ord, one of the professors looks to be sitting at his desk until she gets a closer look and realizes that he is dead !!  And she can't help but wonder if Professor Maurtina did it.  After all, they have been fighting ever since Nelly arrived.

Nelly has no idea what she is expected to do .... does she look into flights home, wait it out, look for a job ?  Fortunately her luggage finally catches up to her but someone tried to break into her hotel room.  She also learns that the funding for the study she is there for didn't include her and her expenses so if she wants to stay she is going to have to find a place to stay.  Thankfully she has Kiki and Auntie Akamai there to pick her up and help her out !!!

With twenty-four books in the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series I am sure you will find favorites things or authors or characters or what not.  I can tell you that you will love ALL of it !!!  And Gemma Halliday Publishing even has a website devoted to the series.  Check in out ....

https://www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com/aloha-lagoon-mysteries

Puppied to Death (A Barkview Dog Mystery Book # 10) by C.B. Wilson

A Murder, an Ancient Secret, and a Puppy You Can’t Help but LoveA desperate call from her sister sends investigative reporter Cat Hawl on a rescue mission to Hawaii. But when she arrives, it's more than she bargained for. Not only is a tea sommelier found dead, but a mischievous puppy has turned the crime scene into a dog’s breakfast. And to top it off, Cat’s sister, Lani, has gone missing. Is she a witness or on the run?

With local police suspecting the worst, Cat takes matters into her own hands. Armed with the help of the sharp-witted Miss Marple Mahjong Mamas, she starts uncovering clues that point to a centuries-old mystery tied to the Forbidden City. Could a thousand-year-old legend be the key to the mounting body count and chaotic puppy mayhem?

Join Cat on her quirky, whirlwind adventure, where a trail of tea leaves leads her through a mystery that's as puzzling as a puppy's antics. Cozy mystery lovers will find themselves charmed and intrigued at every twist and turn!

"Buckle up your seat belt! It's full speed ahead for this fast-paced, humorous mystery whose killer ending will catch you by surprise! An absolute delight!"
~J.C. Eaton, author of The Sophie Kimball Mysteries, The Wine Trail Mysteries, The Charcuterie Shop Mysteries, The Marcie Rayner Mysteries

For dog lovers and cozy mystery fans alike, Puppied to Death delivers a satisfying tale of intrigue and charm. Whether this is your first visit to Barkview or you’ve followed Cat’s adventures from the start, this delightful ninth installment will leave you eager for the next mystery to unfold. -Chanticleer 5-star review.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Puppied to Death is the tenth book in the Barkview Dog Mystery series written by C.B. Wilson and it was the first book that I have had the pleasure of reading.  Granted it probably wasn't the best book to begin reading seeing as the book did not take place in the town of the main character but Wilson makes it easy to follow along with the new cast of characters list in the beginning of the book, even including the animals.

 In Puppied to Death main character Cat Hawl goes back home to Hawaii when her mother calls frantic when Lani, Cat's sister, is missing and one of her dog walking clients is found murdered in her home. Things get real when she gets there and is introduced to the Miss Marple Mahjong Mama's and they are out for blood.  

As soon as Cat gets off the airplane she is sucked into a crazy case revolving around tea.  You would think that there is nothing special about tea but you will be seriously wrong.  And someone is sending the group wierd cryptic messages using Mahjong tiles.  Eventually Cat's husband Russ and her stepfather join the team and they are unstoppable.

Readers will become lost in the story instantly regardless to if it's the first book in the series you are reading or any of the previous ones.  You will love the characters, the setting, and the murder and the surrounding story is very unique and captivating.  If you missed any of the previous books I encouraged to go grab them and read them all !!!! 

 

The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli

In this debut mystery DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID, is determined to find a killer with the help of the four queens of crime, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, perfect for fans of Elly Griffiths and Claudia Gray.

1938, London. The four queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, are hosting a gala to raise money for the Women’s Volunteer Service to help Britain prepare for war. Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote has loaned Hursley House for the event and all the elites of London society are attending. The gala is a brilliant success, despite a few hiccups, but the next morning Sir Henry is found dead in the library. 

Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson from Scotland Yard are quickly summoned and discover a cluster of potential suspects among the guests, including an upset fiancée, a politically ambitious son, a reserved but protective brother, an irate son-in-law, a rebellious teenage daughter, and the deputy home secretary. 

Quietly recruiting the four queens of crime, DCI Wyles must sort through the messy aftermath of Sir Henry’s death to solve the mystery and identify the killer.   (Summary via Goodreads)

Rosanne Limoncelli knocks it out of the park in her debut mystery The Four Queens of Crime !!!  And how could she not have a winner when she enlists the help of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham as themselves in her story !!

In The Four Queens of Crime the four authors are hosting a gala at a very prominient family's house.  The gala is to raise money for the Women's Volunteer Service to help prepare for war.  Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote has opened his home, Hursley House, for the event and there will be a lot of very important people in attendance.

While the gala itself was a success, Sir Henry and his personal side was not. 

The party went on well past midnight and everyone was exhausted from the guests to the staff, and the family. The guests that were staying for the weekend went to bed late but were up early and in the dining room when they heard the scream !! When they rushed to see what the scream was about they found Sir Henry dead in his library.

Detective Chief Inspectors Richard Davidson and Lilian Wyles are called in as soon as it is determined that Sir Henry was murdered.  Unfortunately they are not going to have an easy time with the family, staff and guests.  When Lilian gets Richard to agree they could use a little help, it is no wonder that they ask the four mystery authors to just listen and encourage the family members to open up.

Readers will love this story !!!  The fact that the entire length of the story takes place within a few days time is quite addicting.  Readers are locked in immediately and may need to take notes as well.  Luckily Limoncelli provides readers with a list of the characters in the front of the book so if you forget who someone is you have it there.  I believe that this is going to be a series and author to watch.

Murder in an Irish Garden (Irish Village Mystery Book # 11) by Carlene O'Connor

Everything’s coming up roses for garda Siobhán and the rest of O’Sullivan family in quaint Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland—until a murder investigation blooms out of a deadly gardening competition.

While Siobhán studies for her Detective Sargeant exams, her brother, Eoin, prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six, and concocts a plan to enter Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest to boost business. But trouble brews when Eoin hires a mercurial landscape designer known for her killer designs. His new partner’s unflattering reputation and questionable practices nearly eclipse her talents—and plunge the prestigious competition into chaos.

A lush and intricate winning garden emerges from the controversy, with a spectacular golden statue in the center of the display. But in a devastating twist, the work of art leads to the shocking discovery of a bold and brutal work of murder.

Everyone in town has an opinion about who committed the crime and planted the evidence, from easily bribed sponsors to green-with-envy gardeners. And with another golden statue found in Eoin’s garden display, rumors about his involvement intensify. As local gossip buzzes and a list of suspects grows, it’s up to quick-witted Siobhán and her husband, Macdara, to suss out the guilty culprit’s identity . . . before the competition buries another victim.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Okay I have not read all of the books in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor, however, the ones that I have read I have loved !!  And if I ever have extra time this will be one series that I will catch up on.

This series follows the O'Sullivan six siblings.  They lost their parents so they have had to grow up quickly and they have done a good job with Siobhan taking the reins and mothering the others.  But now in the eleventh book, Murder in an Irish Garden, Siobhan is married and her and her husband have a murder case that will test them .... personally and professionally.

Siobhan is trying to study for her Detective Sargeant's exam to be like her husband Macdara but they are called into a crazy murder case with a suspect list that is longer than they could ever imagine.  Kilbane's Top Garden Contest is about to begin with a handful of contestants ready to show off their green thumbs.  Unfortunately the contestant who is constructing the garden for Siobhan's brother Eoin's new restaurant is found murdered and the other contestants gardens damaged.  

As Siobhan and Macdara being the investigation, they are unable to cross any names off of the suspect list and as they dive deeper, they seem to add more names......

Readers cannot help but love this series.  O'Connor knows how to draw you in and make you want to stay.  And with this story, you will be at a loss as to who is guilty and who is innocent and when the case is solved, you will sit back and feel exhausted but in a good way !!!  So grab a snack and a cuppa and your copy of Murder in an Irish Garden and sit back and enjoy !!!

Two Weddings and a Murder (A Lady & Lady's Maid Mystery Book # 9) by Alyssa Maxwell

As Lady Phoebe and her betrothed say their vows of holy matrimony, a killer has vowed unholy vengeance on the town’s chief inspector . . .

June 1922: The blessed day has finally arrived. Phoebe Renshaw and Owen Seabright are to be wed, and lady’s maid Eva Huntford could not be more delighted for her lady’s happiness. But she is disturbed by one notable absence from the ceremony—her beau, Police Constable Miles Brannock. When Miles finally does appear, breathlessly running into the reception at Foxwood Hall, he brings grim he’s found Chief Inspector Isaac Perkins murdered, shot in his home in his favorite parlor chair with his own gun.
 
A policeman naturally makes enemies, especially those of questionable character. In charge of finding his former boss’s killer, Miles reviews the details of the crime scene. The murder weapon has been wiped clean and left on the table next to the remnants of the chief inspector’s sausage pasty and coffee reeking of a bit of whiskey. No sign of forced entry. A seemingly peaceful scene—other than the bullet hole in the victim.
 
Before Miles can make much progress in his investigation, a Scotland Yard detective arrives in Little Barlow to take over the case—and promptly focuses his suspicions on the constable himself, who he reasons had motive and opportunity. Coming to their maid’s defense, Phoebe and Owen postpone their honeymoon to join Eva in clearing her beau’s good name and unmasking the identity of the true killer . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

Two Weddings and a Murder is the ninth and final book in the Lady & Lady's Maid Mystery series written by Alyssa Maxwell .... it is hard for me to wrap my head around that.  When you're a reader and you find an author and/or series that you like, you want to read all of the books out there and it becomes a part of you.  You look forward to the next book to be published so that you can return to the town, time period and people that you have grown to love.

Maxwell is going out with a bang with this final book, Two Weddings and a Murder ....

Main character Phoebe Renshaw gets married and she and Owen couldn't be happier but Phoebe notices her Lady's Maid and friend, more friend than maid really, is unsettled.  Then she realizes that Eva's love interest Constable Miles Brannock missed the wedding.  Sadly they learn why ... Chief Inspector Perkins did not show up to work and when the Constable when calling at his house, he found the Chief Inspector dead.

Unfortunately a detective was sent into town to investigate the murder and he immediately arrests Miles for the murder.  Eva rushes to tell Phoebe and luckily Phoebe convinces her grandfather to go and talk to the detective.  It is decided that Miles be placed on house arrest while the detective looks into the case.  Phoebe and Eva know what that means so Phoebe convinces her new husband to postpone their honeymoon so they can also look into the case.

It is not going to be easy, and maybe that is what Maxwell wanted with this being the last book, because this is the longest suspect list ever !!  There is a houseful of guests staying at Foxwood Hall as they are there for the wedding.  Also Phoebe's grandfather has allowed a caravan of gypsies to camp on some of his property.  Phoebe and Eva also learn that someone that the Chief Inspector sent to jail was recently released and he may feel he has reasons to kill him.

Okay so yes Phoebe will again uncover the truth and the guilty party will be arrested and everyone can breathe a sigh of relief and you will have a blast trying to keep up with everything.

Now let me take a minute to say a few things.  

First I hope that you have been a devoted fan like myself and have fallen in love with the series, and will be a little sad that it must come to an end.  If you aren't a fan and are thinking about it, please go grab copies of all the other books and this one and get cracking. You will completely love them.  

Secondly I want to THANK Alyssa for writing this series and providing me with another town and another family to love.  The times that I spend with one of the books in this series open were very happy times.  I loved traveling back in time and experiences things through your eyes and brilliant mind.

Deadly Reputation (Sam Lawson Mystery Book # 4 ) by David K. Wilson

When an old friend convinces Texas detective Sam Lawson that a woman’s disappearance might be the work of a serial killer, he reluctantly agrees to help…only to find himself being framed for the very crime he’s investigating. Now, it’s a race against time as he struggles to stay one step ahead of a suspicious cop and find the killer before it’s too late.

Sam had settled into a quiet life of filing police reports and spending time with his girlfriend, medical examiner Carla Davenport. But all of that is threatened when Ken Mullen, Sam’s old partner and mentor, pays an unexpected visit to ask Sam to help him hunt down a serial killer.

As the two men try to link the missing woman to the killer, Sam falls back into old bad habits that threaten the peaceful world he’s created. To make matters worse, someone is planting evidence to frame Sam for murder and an overly ambitious detective sets his sights on Sam’s arrest.

With a woman’s life hanging in the balance, Sam resorts to desperate measures to find the killer before time runs out.

Deadly Reputation is the fourth stand-alone installment of the popular Sam Lawson Mystery series. If you like Jack Reacher and Harry Bosch, you’re going to love Sam Lawson in this gripping, page-turning thriller from David K. Wilson.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Deadly Reputation is the fourth book in the Sam Lawson Mystery series by David K. Wilson and all I can say is ...... WHAT THE HECK ?!?!  If you have read the previous books in this series I am sure you are on the same page as me with being in complete shock !!!  Mostly is a good way but some not so much.

The Sam Lawson Mystery series reminds me of two other authors .... Lawrence Block with his Matthew Scudder series and Stuart Woods with his Stone Barrington series.  Both of these series deal with law enforcing individuals that will, at times, cross the line to get the guilty party.  And we know that In the Sam Lawson series, Sam is kind of on the line ....

In Deadly Reputation Sam's old partner, Ken Muller, comes to town with a crazy case of a serial killer on the lose and talks Sam into looking into the case.  And when a local sex worker ends up missing, Ken is positive that the killer is now in Quinton, Texas.

Sam reluctantly agrees to help Ken knowing that he is sure to piss off his captain.  And when Sam's new truck is taken into custody with questionable blood in the back, he has no other choice but to prove his innocence. 

Things do not get better for Sam and he is not making it easy on himself but he is determined to clear his name and do what he can to try to save the abducted woman ..... and when another one goes missing, he is fitting a clock that is running out of time but he doesn't know how long he has.

I honestly hope that you have read the previous books in this series but if you haven't I hope that you begin.  This is a great series to get lost in and you will breeze through them as you will not want to stop reading them.  I, for one, cannot wait to get  my hands on the fifth book, Death on Location, to see what trouble Sam gets into next.

 

Additional Attendee (A Paulwhatshisname Mystery Book # 1) by Josh Harper

Paul, a part-time actor and full-time egoist, just knows that his wife is having an affair with the dog trainer who lives upstairs in their luxury apartment building. But when he tries to catch them in the act, he finds their neighbor’s corpse instead. And now he can’t find his wife anywhere. With only the building’s alluring front desk person to help him, Paul must find the killer before the cops pin the murder on him. Soon, he discovers that his fellow over-privileged tenants aren’t as bland as their jobs in digital marketing suggest, and he is drawn into a hidden world of greed, lust, and misused animal narcotics. But Paul’s biggest obstacle to solving this mystery lies within himself. Can he stop lying, navel-gazing, and indulging in his own depression long enough to do some actual detective work? Or is the pool on the roof too damn enticing?

While serving up a who-done-it in the vein of Anthony Horowitz’s Hawthorne and Horowitz series, Additional Attendee maintains the momentum and contains the grit of an Elmore Leonard novel. Along the way, it offers up a healthy dose of existential comedy in the tradition of Gary Shteyngart and Sam Lipsyte.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Additional Attendee, written by Josh Harper, is his debut book and the first in his Paulwhatshisname Mystery series.  Josh sets the stage nicely with the characters and the setting.  Readers will be drawn in instantly and seeing as it takes place mostly in an upscale apartment building, you are sure to want to rent one so you can stay longer .... just be aware of your surroundings.

Readers are introduced to Paul, one of the tenants, who doesn't seem happy with his life.  He thinks that his wife, Laura, is cheating on him with someone in the building so he sets out to find out.  Unfortunately when he goes to the guys apartment to confront him, he finds him dead.  The one good thing about his going there is that he got  Alina who works the desk in the lobby to go with him.

Paul doesn't want to tell the police the real reason for being in the dead guys apartment so he lies and tries to get  Alina to lie also.  Alina doesn't so now Paul is on the police's radar.  

Things just keep getting worse for Paul .... Laura never returned home from going to the gym and is not answering her cell phone.  Paul never imagined that he would walk into their apartment and find his wife dead in their bed but that is exactly what happens.  Now he is trying to solve both murders because he knows he didn't kill anyone .... even though the detective is hot on is tail to arrest !!!

Harper has a way with words, and sorry that some of them are curse words.  He paints the picture beautifully for readers to want to keep reading.  You will love the setting and you cannot help but love Paul.

It's not often that you get a cozy mystery written by a man so I guess we should give them some slack when we have one .....  You can usually tell when reading a book whether it is written by a male or female and there is nothing wrong with that.  

Medal for Murder (Merry Wrath Mysteries Book # 32) by Leslie Langtry

From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a hilarious new Merry Wrath mystery...

It’s not news that the Iowa towns of Bladdersly (Home of the Raging Bladders) and Who’s There (the Fighting Who-rish) are rivals and have been for more than a century. And as everybody knows—the best way to deal with a rivalry is to exploit it! So Who’s There’s youngest mayor creates The WhoBla Olympics to settle things once and for all!

Everyone is going to compete, including ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout leader Merry Wrath Ferguson and her troop. The events are a bit strange, with Extreme Hide & Seek and Dodge Archery, but all’s fair in the spirit of competition, right? Sure, there’s a little cheating and sabotage going on, but it’s nothing…until a body turns up with Merry’s arrow in its chest. And what could go wrong when you have two police departments taking the spirit of competition too far in seeing who will solve the crime first?

Will Merry and her teammate, Hilly, medal in Dodge Archery? Will the event heal the rift between these two towns? Can Merry solve the crime before Chief Magnum of the Bladdersly PD locks her up? Get your nachos and take your seat in the stands to see who comes out on top…and who is going down!  (Summary via Goodreads)

When an author has over thirty books in a series, is there any doubt they have a following ?  I mean, come on ..... thirty books !!!

Well Leslie Langtry has that with her Merry Wrath Mystery series and Medal For Murder is her thirty-second book in this series.  If you haven't read any of the books in this series, I highly suggest you do.  This series is so fun !!!

In Medal For Murder main character Merry Wrath and her crazy crew are participating in an Olympic games event between their town, Who's There, and a rival town, Bladdersly.  Who's There mayor, thirteen year old, Ava, has set everything up.  But she didn't plan for the Bladdersly eighteen year old mayor, Barney, to be murdered at one of the game sites .... or that Merry's arrow would be the murder weapon !!

Luckily for both towns the murder occured in the county so neither town is in charge of the investigation.  But that will not stop Merry, her husband Rex, and friends to do a little investigating of their own.

Even without a murder to solve readers will love this series.  You have teenagers in charge of political offices, ex-spies doing crazy things, a young girl who can communicate with animals, and so much more !!!  

I could continue to talk about more with this series but I think if you aren't a fan yet, I have given you enough of a push to go grab a book or two or thirty.  Langtry knows how to entertain readers .... and with thirty-two books, you better believe it !!!

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime (Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Book # 10) by Vicki Delany

Bookshop owner Gemma Doyle heads to London for a wedding, but when a body is found in connection with a rare book, Gemma sets out to sleuth the slaying, in bestselling author Vicki Delany’s 10th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.

Gemma Doyle and her friends have packed their bags and headed to London for her sister Pippa’s wedding. Waiting for her in the hotel lobby is none other than Gemma’s ex-husband, Paul Erikson. Paul has a rare book he wants her to see–calling it “the real deal”–so Gemma agrees to meet him at their old shop, Trafalgar Fine Books, the following day. But when Gemma arrives, accompanied by Grant, a rare book dealer, they find Paul dead in his office.

Paul had been down on his luck, but Gemma never expected this. Had he borrowed money from people he shouldn’t have? And where is the valuable book he was so anxious for Gemma to see? It’s nowhere to be found in the shop. Because of their previous relationship, Gemma feels she owes something to Paul and vows to find his killer.

As Gemma and her best friend Jayne Wilson follow Paul’s trail of friends, enemies, clients, and ex-lovers through London to Yorkshire, she realizes the puzzle of Paul’s last days is more twisted than she originally thought.  

This mystery is anything but elementary, and Gemma and Jayne have to use all their wit to get to the bottom of it before their time in London–or in life–is over.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Having read all but the first book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series I can honestly say that I am a huge fan of these books and have fallen in love with the characters.  Author Vicki Delany knows what to write to insure that.  And with having ten books in the series, she has to be creative with the stories so that readers do not get bored and are sure to return.

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime, the tenth book, sees Gemma and close friends traveling to London to attend Gemma's sister's wedding.  Pippa is actually marrying Grant, a friend of Gemma's from New London, Massachusetts, where Gemma resides now.

Gemma has to leave the wedding reception early, as she was unable to rest when they arrived as she had to try to track down where her luggage ended up, when jet lag caught up to her.  But before she could get through the jotel lobby, she is approached by someone she definitely did not want to see .... her ex-husband Paul.  Paul insists that he has something back at the bookstore that she use to own with him that she needs to see.  Gemma has to agree to stop over the following day just so that she can make her escape.

Unfortunately when Gemma, Jane and Donald arrive at the bookstore at the agreed upon time, the only two people they see are Paul's employees.  But they find Paul in the office and sadly he is dead ... and has been for several hours.  Gemma, being Gemma, quickly looks around and is pretty sure Paul was murdered and tries to determine why someone would want to kill him.

Once the police are involved Gemma should walk away but readers know that she won't even if she hasn't seen Paul in seven years.  It, eventually, becomes clear that Paul's death is bigger than even Gemma can handle and when Pippa gets involved, she knows it is worse than she thought.  However, now that Pippa is involved means that the case is untouchable to Gemma.  

I have to say that I believe that The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime is my favorite in this series so far.  I am a huge fan of everyone and everything inside this series but I am obsessed with Pippa and love her !!!  I love her secrecy, the power that she holds in whatever her job is, her relationship with her sister and everything else about her.  There is no reason that a cozy mystery series cannot have two powerful women in it and this one is it !!! 

 

The Secret of Blackbird Cabin by D. L. Tank

When Tony and Megan, a recently retired couple, buy a long-vacant cabin on a small lake hidden in Wisconsin's Northwoods for a ridiculously low price, they get more than they bargained for. While renovating the cabin and property, they discover an unidentified skeleton. A myriad of connected clues involving bank robbers, bootleggers and crooked cops point to the skeleton's identity. Tony and Megan reluctantly recognize that if the mystery is to be solved, it's up to them to discover what really happened at Blackbird Cabin. A cozy mystery with a Northwoods feel and a surprise ending.  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Secret of Blackbird Cabin by D. L. Tank is a captivating tale that will have readers trying to guess the mysteries that surround the cabin that Tony and Megan have recently purchased.  

Tony and Megan, both retired, have always wanted to have a place they can spend their summers at, a cabin on a lake, being ideal. While on vacation they see an advertisement on a bulletin board in the local grocery store for a cabin with everything they are looking for but they are concerned that the price is too low and it could already be sold.  Luckily for them the cabin is still for sale and they fall in love with it and are very happy to be the new owners.  Unfortunately they soon learn that there are a lot of mysterious things about the property and this sends them down a bunch of rabbit holes....

Tony and Megan decide to play detectives but it becomes clear that there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle they need help with so they decide to trust Fred Jackson, the gentlemen who sold them the cabin.  The cabin has been in the Jackson family for a very long time but no one has used it for many years.  

Tony, Megan, and Jackson are able to solve some of the mysteries regarding Blackbird Cabin but sadly have to be satisfied with that .... until Tony and Megan meet a relative who provides them with a story written by her great grandmother and that fills in all the empty spaces in their cabin on the lake.

The Secret of Blackbird Cabin is quite the tale and Tank draws you in the instant you begin reading it.  You will have so much fun reading and will want to try to help Tony and Megan solve all the mysteries.

Carousels and Characters (Magical Mystery Book Club # 9) by Elizabeth Pantley

This book club is whooshed right into the pages of a cozy mystery. The quirky group of brave members must solve the mystery and reach The End to get out of the book.

In each book of the series, they travel to a different world and meet paranormal characters. It could be shifters, fairies, genies, ghosts, or anything else! It’s so much fun, you’ll wish for a book club like this!

In this book journey, they travel to an enchanted amusement theme park. It’s a magical, wonderful place, but something is disturbing the park. Robberies are occurring from every ride. It began with little things, like props or costumes, but now the stakes are rising.

The book club has entered this story so that they can find out who is behind the thefts and stop the problem. Hopefully, they can do it before chaos strikes the entire theme park and closes it down, leaving hundreds of workers jobless and thousands of park visitors disappointed.

"You can’t get enough of this series! It will blow you away!"
… Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“I read 150+ cozy mysteries every year - this is by far the most unique storyline I've read.”
… Goodreads

“One of my go-to series. The quality and enjoyment are guaranteed.”
… All and Any Books

“I adore this series, and it just keeps getting better with each book!”
… Fiction Vixen

“The most original and unique cozy mystery series that I have ever read. Fantastic!”
… BookBub

“I guarantee you will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it !!!!”
… Goodreads  (Summary via Goodreads)

Readers cannot help but fall in love with the Magical Mystery Book Club Mystery series by Elizabeth Pantley.  This is a very creative series and as you get further into the books, the creativity will be off the charts .... but you will approve !!!

Quick summary  .... Main character Paige inherits the SnapDragon Inn and in the basement there is a magical library.  Paige organizes a group of electic people to be a part of the book club.  Every few months they gather with food and drinks and venture down to the basement where they each pick a book that they vote on.  Once they have picked a book someone begins reading the first page out loud.  Once they get a few paragraphs into the story, the room fills with fog and when it clears, they are in the book !!  The Inn travels with them which makes it a nice comfort.  In order to leave the book, they have to solve the case and write The End on the board and they will be whisked back home.  Two things regarding the book journey are that regardless of how long they are "stuck" in the book, time stands still and when they return, no time has been lost.  And the other things, which is probably the best thing, is that they can eat whatever they want and they won't gain weight and if you are familiar with this group, they LOVE to eat !!!

Okay now onto Carousels and Characters .... This is the ninth book in the series and if you have been reading them, you already know you are in for a treat.  Except in this book the group is not there to solve a murder.  They are there to solve a robbery or robberies.

The group is entering the book Mystery in Wonderland Universe which is a huge amusement theme park.  There are all kinds of rides and fair themed food as well as exhibits where animals are the focus.  When they get there, they have to check into their hotel and at first they believe the individuals behind the check-in desk are people dressed as chickens .....  but they soon learn that that is incorrect.

When they get inside the theme park, they realize that all the "characters" are actually animals.  They are given special lanyards that label them as inspectors so that they can investigate the robberies.  With their lanyards whenever they are on a ride or exhibit, it will shut down so that they can speak with the animals to see about the robberies.

There is so much more that I could say, as it is, I am trying not to give too much away.  One thing that I will say is that Pantley went overboard and out of the box with this story.  There were a few times I questioned if she was drinking while writing this one .... and if she was, more power to her because it's a HIT !!  It is definitely unique and very creative !!!!

Schooled in Murder (Campus Sleuth Mysteries Book # 1) by Victoria Gilbert

A mystery writer must solve a real murder case before an innocent girl is condemned-in this series debut from acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert.

Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Dalton is an author and educator at Clarion University in Virginia. She loves her job, but some of her petty coworkers look down on her for writing genre fiction. As members of the English department, they wish to encourage students to pursue higher literary aspirations. When a humiliating confrontation between an uppity professor and one of Jenn’s students, Mia, escalates, no one thinks much of it. Until his dead body is found along with evidence incriminating Mia.

Jenn knows Mia couldn’t have killed him, but Mia’s suspicious disappearance might as well be a proclamation of guilt. With the sleuthing skills Jenn has acquired writing murder mysteries, she’s determined to solve the case and clear Mia’s name.

Along with the help of her fellow sleuthers, Christine Kubiak, a cafeteria manager, Zachary Flynn, the charming but annoying campus psychologist, and Brianna Rowley, a librarian, Jenn must catch the real killer before there’s another murder on the books.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Schooled in Murder is the first book in the Campus Sleuth Mystery series written by Victoria Gilbert and you are going to LOVE it !!!  

In Schooled in Murder the main character Jenn Dalton is a mystery author herself as well as having a full time job running the writing center at Clarion University.  She is very busy in her normal every day dealings but when she comes across a dead body in the library and one of the students that she is helping is the main suspect, she finds the time to look into the death.

Professor Douglas Barth wasn't liked by everyone but to murder him seems a bit much.  So Jenn along with the help of a few friends on campus decide to do their own investigating.  However, even though Jenn is a published author of mystery books, it is nothing like the real thing.  And psychologist Zachary Flynn is right there to tell her that regularly.

Readers will love this debut book and will be looking forward to future books.  You cannot help but love the back and forth between Jenn and Zach and want to see where Gilbert is going to take that storyline.  And the college campus setting is a refreshingly fun setting as well.

I highly recommend grabbing your copy immediately and digging in.  You will thoroughly enjoy it.

Murder at First Light (Modern Midwives Book # 4) by Christine Knapp

Lighthouses, nannies, and murder…

Life has calmed down for modern nurse midwife Maeve O'Reilly Kensington, following her daughter's eventful arrival into the world. Her family has settled into a welcome routine, and Maeve is about to break new ground as the first faculty midwife at Rosemont College in the quaint New England town of Langford.

Unfortunately, her tranquility is short-lived. During an early morning row on the bay, Maeve witnesses a jogger stumble out of Langford's iconic lighthouse, First Light, and collapse. He is later pronounced dead, and Maeve wonders if it was a natural death or foul play. First Light had rescued many in the past but certainly didn't save this hapless soul.

When Maeve and her indomitable sister, Meg, assist a young Irish nanny caught in the aftermath of the death, they land headfirst in the world of Langford's posh "Yummy Mummies." Will the fearless M&M's crack the case? Will Maeve adapt to the college world? Life in Langford carries on…with its usual mix of midwifery and murder!  (Summary via Goodreads)

Murder at First Light is the fourth book in the Modern Midwives Mystery series written by Christine Knapp.  Even though I have only read the first book, Murder at the Wedding and now this fourth book, I can tell you that as soon as I started reading Murder at First Light I was totally involved in it,  I was reaquainted with the characters and ready to see what happened .... and boy, oh boy !!!

In Murder at First Light main character Maeve, who is always busy, is again taking on a lot but she is going to excel in it, like she does with everything she does.  Maeve is a midwife working at Creighton Memorial and has just agreed to a dual appointment with Rosemont College.  She will teach the nursing students as well as provide gynecological care to the faculty and students as well as continue her duties at the hospital.  She will be split between the two places and she is excited to be doing it.

Unfortunately on one of her morning rowing trips, she nears First Light Lighthouse and sees people frantically waving.  She pulls up and jumps out to see if she can assist.  She sees a man on the ground and people working on him.  Emergency units were called and Maeve's brother Patrick arrives.  Patrick is the Deputy Chief of Police and Maeve and their sister, Meg, have helped Patrick in the past with some cases. But seeing as they do not know what caused the man to collapse, maybe it won't be something bad.

Maeve soon learns that the man did not make it and his brother is an RN at the hospital.  It doesn't take long for Maeve and Meg (the M&M's) to begin their investigation especially when they learn that one of the suspects is the deceased man's nanny.  And this nanny is from the same organization that Maeve's nanny is from.

Maeve and Meg are going to go into a very prominant and powerful area that they are not use to at all.  But they know that they have to do it to ensure that the correct person or persons pays for the murder !!

Readers will love this book !  The storyline and the characters are awesome and some you will want to be friends with .... while others you will enjoy hating !!!