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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christmas in Newfoundland 3: Sgt. Windflower Holiday Tales by Mike Martin

Sgt. Windflower loves Christmas and we’re happy to share what he and his family and friends do at Christmastime in Grand Bank or Marystown or Ramea, Newfoundland. Some of the stories feature Windflower and Sheila’s adorable daughters and of course Eddie Tizzard and his family make several spotlight appearances. Other stories take you back to Christmas seasons of any years long past and there’s even a return of a fabulous Newfoundland tradition, the Mummers.

Christmas is a time to celebrate but it is also a time to reminisce and remember. We hope that it will bring back pleasant memories for you and your family to share at Christmas and throughout the year. Come celebrate Christmas in Newfoundland with Sgt. Windflower Mysteries.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Christmas in Newfoundland 3 by Mike Martin is a book with short stories pertaining to the characters from his Sgt. Windflower Mystery series and Christmas.  This is the third book of Christmas short stories, and it really allows readers a chance to get to know the characters without a murder to solve.

Christmas in Newfoundland 3 consists of 12 stories, most of them in Windflower's voice but it also allows you to get to know Eddie Tizzard, his family and father, the Mug-Up Cafe where everyone hangs out, Windflower and Eddie's dad when they were younger, and even a story when they had a green Christmas.  It's weird because when you read the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, it is either raining or snowing in the stories.

While I was reading this book, I thought I had my favorite story picked out .... until I started reading the next one.  However, if I had to pick my favorite, I think I would choose Christmas Away.  In this story Eddie Tizzard is going to his fiancé Carrie's family home to meet her parents and ask her father for his blessing on them getting married.  In this story you are focusing on Eddie and Carrie and get to know them a little deeper.  But again, it was very hard to pick and that is only by a small margin.

Christmas in Newfoundland 3 allows readers to take a break from shopping, cooking and partying with friends and family and sit down for a few minutes with a snack and treat and read for a few minutes.  You can read a story then get right back to celebrating ... or read another one. There is no wrong way to read it.  Enjoy !!! 

 

Murder in an Irish Churchyard (Irish Village Mystery Book # 3) by Carlene O'Connor

Bestselling author Carlene O’Connor’s third novel in the acclaimed Irish Village Mystery series is now available in trade paperback! The village of Kilbane in County Cork, Ireland, has a new garda—and her first case is a grave matter indeed.

It's official! Siobhán is now Garda O’Sullivan, and her five siblings couldn’t be prouder. While brother James runs Naomi’s Bistro, Siobhán is doing her part to keep the village safe. Of course, Kilbane is pretty quiet compared to a place like Dublin, where Macdara Flannery has gone to be a detective sergeant. Good for him, but she still misses him.

Then one night the local priest summons Siobhán to the church cemetery. There’s a dead man in the graveyard—aboveground. He’s a stranger, but the priest has heard talk of an American tourist in town, searching for his Irish ancestor. A detective sergeant is dispatched from Dublin to assist with the case, and as fate would have it, it’s Macdara. After his parting, things are awkward between them, but they have to work together. They learn the victim was from Dublin—Dublin, Ohio, that is. And when his extended family arrives from the States, the plot thickens. Siobhán begins to dig for a motive among the gnarled roots of the family tree. But as long-buried secrets are unearthed, she and Macdara will need to stay two steps ahead of the killer or end up with more than one foot in the grave.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Anytime that I can spend time at Naomi's Bistro with the O'Sullivan Six in Kilbane, Ireland, I am going to do it !!  But with this third book, Murder in an Irish Churchyard, things are really different !!!

Murder in an Irish Churchyard, is the third book in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor and main character Siobhan is on her first official murder case as a new guard at the Kilbane Gardai Station.  Unfortunately, things don't start off well when Father Kearney summons her at the bistro in the middle of the night when he finds a dead body above ground in the cemetery.  And things don't get any better when Detective Sergeant Macdara Flannery returns to oversee the investigation.  They were a couple until Siobhan decided to go to school to be a guard without talking to him first.  Even though he knew how much she enjoyed solving the cases in an unofficial capacity.

It doesn't take long for Siobhan to realize things are very different when you have to follow rules and not go by what you assume.  She has a hard time just following the evidence .... and the group that they are concentrating on are an American group, some family, who are there to do a documentary of their family who they believe lived in Ireland many years ago.  But when Frank, the one who really wanted to find out his family's history, is found dead in the cemetery, all the family and rest of the group want to do is return to the States.

Siobhan is working against the clock to find the killer and Macdara isn't helping.  The tension between them is there but he has forbidden them from discussing anything personal, so she has to work through that as well.

Readers cannot help but want to hang out at Naomi's Bistro or walk around town, even with a killer out there.  You will love Siobhan and her siblings, Macdara and their relationship or lack thereof, the town, the food ... even the murder case draws you in. You won't want to stop reading until you get to the end to make sure Siobhan can again solve the case.

Holidays & Homicides: Short story collection by Rosalie Spielman , Catherine Bruns , Gin Jones , Annie McEwen , Lena Gregory , Jennifer Fischetto , Anne Marie Stoddard , Kelly Rey , Misty Simon , Christine Knapp , Jamie L. Adams , & Erica Wynters

From twelve USA Today bestselling and award winning authors, comes a short story collection stuffed full of mirthful mysteries, clever criminals, and holiday cheer! These short holiday bites are perfect for enjoying between rounds of wrapping or binge-reading over a cup of cocoa!

Stories

A Hometown Christmas Caper (Hometown Mysteries)
by Rosalie Spielman

Gossip, Guilt & Gingerbread (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
by Lena Gregory

Larceny & Twinkle Lights (Jamie Winters Mysteries)
by Kelly Rey

Holidays & Heists (Aloha Lagoon Mysteries) by Anne Marie Stoddard

Ornaments, Surprise & Dead Guys (Gianna Mancini Mysteries) by Jennifer Fischetto

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Mischief (Northwoods Mysteries) by Annie McEwen

You Can't see the Forest for the Christmas Trees (Modern Midwife Mysteries) by Christine Knapp

Jingle Bell Rocker (Sunny Side Up Mysteries) by Misty Simon

Holly, Handcuffs, and Hearsay (Camelot Flowers Mysteries) by Erica Wynters

Search for the Silent Santa (Ghost Town Mysteries) by Jamie L. Adams

Nothing But Truffle (Cookies & Chance Mysteries) by Catherine Bruns

A Heartland Homicide (Bourbon B&B Mysteries) by Gin Jones   (Summary via Goodreads)

Holidays & Homicides is a collection of short stories written by a group of amazing authors who have books published through Gemma Halliday Publishing.  Each short stories gives readers a glimpse into the characters and settings surrounding the series that they write about.  This gives the readers a little Christmas fun as well as allows you to pick your next books .... or if you are like me and you have read books by the authors, it just makes you fall in love with them some more.

Even though the authors are cozy mystery authors not all the short stories involve murder, some of them do, which again sheds some light on their creative story telling.

I dare you to pick a favorite.  Every time I was reading one, it became my favorite, and I was sure it would remain that way.  But then I began reading the next one and that jumped to the top of the list.

From Thanksgiving until after the New Year everyone is busy so if you can sit down with a short story and get lost for an hour or so, that helps with your stress level.  Sometimes, especially this time of year, we do not have the time to devote to a full novel, so this is the perfect solution.  So, grab your copy, a cup of tea or glass of wine, a snack and enjoy some time with Holidays & Homicides.

O, Deadly Night (A Year-Round Christmas Mystery Book # 8) by Vicki Delany

Tis the season for mischief and murder in the 8th Year-Round Christmas mystery from national bestselling author Vicki Delany.

It’s Christmastime in Rudolph, New York, which means it’s time for the December Santa Claus parade. This year, shop owner Merry Wilkinson has decided to decorate her float as Santa’s elves' workshop and invites her landlady, Mabel D’Angelo, to help supervise the excited children playing the elves. But when Mrs. D’Angelo doesn’t show up, Merry begins to worry. 

Worry quickly turns into frustration when Mrs. D’Angelo reveals she was delayed by new neighbors moving in. As the center for all things gossip, Mrs. D’Angelo is determined to introduce the new arrivals to the neighborhood. As the days pass, Mrs. D’Angelo notices strange things about the newcomers, but Merry, busier than an elf in Santa’s workshop, has little time for matters that really don’t concern her. But things turn from jolly to downright concerning when Mrs. D’Angelo disappears, and Merry is forced to admit that something might be terribly wrong. 

With family and friends counting on her during this stressful holiday season, it is up to Merry to make sure this Christmas doesn’t end up wrapped in blood red.  (Summary via Goodreads)

I know O, Deadly Night by Vicki Delany is the eighth book in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series and can be read any time of the year but reading it in December really helps put readers into the Christmas spirit .... even with a murder to solve.

In O, Deadly Night main character Merry Wilkinson is as busy as always running her store, Mrs. Claus's Treasures on Jingle Bell Lane in the town of Rudolph. But when Mrs. D'Angelo, her landlord who lives downstairs in the big Victoria that Merry lives upstairs in, tells her about some mysterious goings on across the street in an empty house, she begins to also gets suspicious.  And then when Mrs. D'Angelo goes missing for a few days, her attention is on high alert.

When Merry goes snooping across the street she finds more than Mrs. D'Angelo tied up in the kitchen pantry.  She finds a dead woman in the cellar with lots of machines.  It is soon learned that the dead woman is actually someone who went to school with Merry's sister Eve and the machinery is used to make counterfeit money.  The deceased, Raquel, has a criminal past and the NYPD take over the investigation so Merry can let it go.

Unfortunately, Merry cannot let it go even though Christmas is soon approaching and she needs to concentrate on her store and enjoy the holiday.  But she is way off in her investigating when her and Mrs. D'Angelo come face to face with Raquel's killer .....

I loved reading O, Deadly Night !!  There is no way you cannot fall in love with the town of Rudolph, the shops and the people.  I wish it were real so I could visit it !!  I guess we will have to settle for visiting it in the books.

Murder at Cottonwood Creek (Stella and Lyndy Mystery series Book # 7) by Clara McKenna

 

Far from England and their beloved Morrington Hall, Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst and his American wife, heiress and equestrian Stella Kendrick—now Lady Lyndhurst—find fossils and murder in Montana . . .

Led by his passion for paleontology, Lyndy’s father, Lord Atherly, has traveled all the way to Montana, to explore the fossil-rich horse ranch owned by Stella’s mother, Katherine, and her second husband, Ned Smith. Urged by Lady Atherly to look after her husband, Stella and Lyndy follow in his wake. Stella is excited to be reunited with her mother, and Lyndy is eager to experience the real “Wild West.” Both are equally thrilled to participate in a fossil dig.

But when a local man who was guarding the dig site overnight is found the next morning dead in a creek bed, the couple fear his death may not have been an accident—especially when things get wilder still. The paleontologist on the dig has his notebook stolen, several fossil bones disappear, and a second body is found in the research tent.

No one is above suspicion—a rival paleontologist up to some skullduggery, members of their own crew, even Lord Atherly himself. Stella and Lyndy must keep digging to unearth the clues that will expose a killer in their midst—before more bones must be buried . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

I have not read any of the Stella and Lyndy Mystery books and starting with Murder at Cottonwood Creek, the seventh book, may not have been ideal.  However, it sure was an exciting story !!!  I realize there are things that "went over my head' because there is a lot of history going back six books but quite frankly it doesn't matter.  I still fell in love with it all.

In Murder at Cottonwood Creek main characters Stella and her husband are traveling to Montana to bring some horses to Stella's mother's ranch.  While there besides visiting with her mother, her mother's husband, and their son (Stella's brother who she hasn't met), they will be seeing Lyndy's father who is there on a paleontologist dig.  

Unfortunately, soon after they arrive a local man helping at the dig site is found dead.  Stella doesn't believe that the man was just drunk and fell down the embankment to his death even though the coroner is ruling it an accident.  Sadly, Stella has had too much experience with dead bodies and death to ignore things.

While she tries to wrap her head around that, there are more incidents, accidents and questionable things that suggest something bigger is occurring .....

Murder at Cottonwood Creek, like I said is the seventh book in the Stella and Lyndy Mystery series written by Clara McKenna and if you are like me and just hearing about it, I hope you will take the time to go back and read the previous books.  If not, I hope you will follow the series and read any future books.  I know that is my plan going forward.  This book was full of exciting storylines, lovable characters and moved at a nice pace so that you are able to thoroughly enjoy it all .... although I guess the pace is up to you.

Hawaiian Holiday Homicide (Aloha Lagoon Mystery Book # 26) by Rosalie Spielman

 From author Rosalie Spielman comes a cozy Christmas caper !

For marine biologist Nelly O’Hare, "Mele Kalikimaka" on the island of Kauai means enjoying the holiday with her cute golf pro boyfriend, Jack Frango, getting ready for her bestie, Kiki Hepburn’s, wedding, and lots and lots of Hawaiian rain. Nelly is excited for it all—even the rain.

Mr. and Mrs. Barrington, Kiki’s high society parents, have come to Aloha Lagoon for the holiday and the wedding. Unfortunately, they've brought along some not-so-welcomed guests in tow. But when the rude and cantankerous couple create havoc among the wedding party, everyone is shocked when they're found dead on the golf course. Even more shocking is that the only people present at the scene at the time of the crime are Mr. and Mrs. Barrington—and Jack.

Nelly tries to stay out of the ensuing investigation, but despite her best efforts, she's soon drawn in by the murderer on the loose. The victims' adult children, their conniving female friend, and the family’s big-tipping lawyer all had a reason to want the couple gone, but it’s going to take some careful snooping to figure out who the putter-wielding killer really is. Will Nelly be able to find the truth before her friend's nuptials? Or will the wedding be derailed as the murderer strikes again...

What critics are

"This cozy series will hook you so you’ll want to read all that came before!"
~ Book review Crew

"Spielman has a magnificent imagination!! She sure has a knack with creating stories that have you coming back for more!! "
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

"This was such a fun mystery with the perfect setting for armchair travel. I wish I could visit Aloha Lagoon (without the murder). I read this quickly and was sorry to say goodbye to the characters and setting. Thankfully there are many books available in the series and more publishing in the future."
~ Kings River Life Magazine


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)

With twenty-six books in the series and a website dedicated to it, readers cannot help but love the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series.  This series has a number of authors who write for it, most with multiple books.  Each book, regardless as to who the author is, has a few things in common ... the resort and the businesses surrounding it and Detective Ray Kahoalani because there is always a murder.

In Hawaiian Holiday Homicide, the twenty-sixth book, written by Rosalie Spielman main character Nelly O'Hare is preparing for her best friend's wedding.  Nelly and Kiki have known each other since college, and both chose Kauai in Hawaii to live and work.  And they both met the loves of their lives there even though Kiki and Dex are farther along since they are going to be married on Christmas Eve.

When Kiki's parents arrive in their private jet, they have more people than expected.  They have brought friends Mr. and Mrs. Stronzo, her son, his son and a girlfriend of one of them.  Kiki is going to just go with the flow and let nothing upset her or get in the way of her special day.  Unfortunately, no one knew there would be a DOUBLE murder !!!

Nelly's boyfriend Jack, who is a golf pro for the resort golf course agrees to caddie for the Barrington's and the Stronzo's but somehow while Jack is on an errand to get waters and the Barrington's have stepped away to look at the ocean, both Mr. and Mrs. Stronzo turn up dead.  It is apparent that Mr. Stronzo is murdered due to the injury to his head, but it is unclear as to how Mrs. Stronzo died.

All Nelly should be doing is working as well as making sure Kiki stays calm and her wedding goes off as planned. But somehow, she cannot help herself and she is soon suspecting everyone .... except the person she should have until it is almost too late !!

The Aloha Lagoon Mystery series has so much to love.  Having multiple authors contributing to it keeps it fresh and interesting.  And you will find yourself loving Detective Ray even though he is there to solve a murder.  It is too bad that the Aloha Lagoon Resort isn't real because this girl, even though I hate traveling, would totally go there !!

Tea & Trouble (A Bookstore Cozy Mystery Book # 3) by Lucinda Race

Bookstore owner Lily Michaels still doesn’t know which kind of witch she’s going to be. She’s planning to read fortunes at her parents’ tea booth at the Fall Festival in the small town of Pembroke Cove, Maine. Is that her gift? Her snarky familiar, Milo, isn’t a lot of help. Lily’s mother warned her that reading the leaves would change someone’s life. Lily’s ready to make some changes of her own. Her relationship with Detective Gage Erikson—a.k.a. Detective Cutie— seems to be stuck in the perpetual friend zone. Maybe it’s time she went on a real date with someone else, like the new guy in town, Dax Peters.

Gage would like nothing more than to go on a real date with Lily, but romance will have to take the back burner when he’s is called to investigate another murder. Someone cut short the life of successful rose grower, Dean Hartley. Since when does horticulture lead to homicide?

Gage would be thrilled if Lily stuck to reading tea leaves and stayed out of trouble, but that’s just not in her puzzle-loving personality. Why were all the garden club members arguing with Dean at the festival? When Lily teams up with Gage once again in the race to resolve the rose-grower’s murder, can she continue to keep both her feelings and her magic a secret from Gage? Or will roses finally lead to romance for them?  (Summary via Goodreads)

I fell in love with Lily and Gage in the first book in the Bookstore Cozy Mystery series, Books & Bribes written by Lucinda Race and couldn't wait to see what trouble Lily would get into in Catnaps & Crime, the second book.  And now I have just finished Tea & Trouble, the third book and the trouble continues to boil over !!

In Tea & Trouble we get right into ... Lily recently found out she was a witch , her cat is her familiar and talks, and there are more witches living in Pembroke Cove, Maine then she realized .... including her aunt and her best friend, oh and her dad !!!  But I am getting away from the point.  So Lily is working a booth at the Fall Festival, they are selling her mom's homemade tea blends and Lily is reading customer's tea leaves, for fun. (not a lot of people know who are witches and that they have special "powers") 

After observing a commotion at anothet booth, Lily decides to intervene and suggests to Dean, who has a flower booth there, to come have a cup of tea and she would read his tea leaves.  Neither of them had any idea how spot on Lily's reading would be when she saw a broken sword and he shows up dead later that dad from a pair of pruning shears to the chest !!!

Even though Lily has been successful in helping her best friend Detective Gage Erikson in the past, he continues to lecture her to stay away from his crime scenes and investigations.  This time she has a loophole, she insists that she will not go alone to the scene .... and she doesn't, she gets her other best friend Nikki to tag along.

Readers will love this series and everything within.  You will love Lily as the main focus as she tries to come to terms with being a witch as well as learning who else is a witch in her town,  To learn that your cat can talk ... yes please !!!  Also you will love Gage and the way he handles Lily.  You cannot help but also love their relationship and seeing it unfold !!  And having chapters dedicated to each of their viewpoints is genius !!  It really allows readers to see the story from both of them.  

Death on Dickens Island (The Books on the Beach Mysteries Book # 1) by Allison Brook

A divorced sleuth in her thirties must bring peace back to her small town after a murder tears neighbors and family members apart in this series debut from Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook, perfect for fans of Cynthia Riggs and Eva Gates.

Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, a small island in the Long Island Sound, after a twelve year stint in Manhattan. She’s looking forward to helping her father revitalize the general store that the family owns as well as curating a small book nook. Most importantly, she wants to reunite with her 15 year old son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers–and she might be in more danger here than she ever was in the big city.

Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both prominent community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. This has created friction, not only in their marriage, but amongst the citizens of the town. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point.

With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case and at each other’s throats, the townspeople start to take sides. When the ghost of her grandmother visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets, in order to catch a murderer and restore peace to her beloved island.  (Summary via Goodreads)

I am a fan of The Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook so when I saw that she had started a new series, I knew I had to check it out.  And seeing as The Books on the Beach Mystery series is centered on an island and also has a ghost, I couldn't wait !!  And the first book Death on Dickens Island does not disappoint !!

In Death on Dickens Island readers are introduced to Delia Dickens who has returned to the island named after her family.  She has been away for too long and is back to live in the house her grandmother left to her and to raise her fifteen year old son, Connor.  When she was divorcing Connor's abusive dad, she left Connor with her parents on the island to keep him safe not knowing it would be twelve years before she took him back ... and now she is back on the island also.

Delia is working with her father at the family's general store trying to get him to modernize it a bit but he is fighting her with her every suggestion.  Not only is there conflict between them but her aunt Reenie kicks her uncle Brad out of the house after they have been fighting a lot.  Aunt Reenie is the town manager and Brad is the head of the town council so they tend to argue but with a huge piece of land coming up for sale on the island, they both want different things for it.  Then a woman that Brad is friends with ends up murdered and Delia needs o know what is going on with her family and the island.

The Books on the Beach Mystery series is sure to be a huge success .... this first book sets things nicely for future books.  You will love the characters, they live on an island, there's a ghost, Delia has a secret room in her house, there's a murder and so much more !!!  I could tell you more about Death on Dickens Island but I think you should go grab your copy and dig in ......

Killer Commission (Cindy York Mystery series Book #7) by Catherine Bruns

Sometimes a commission check comes with a price that’s too high to pay…

After a hectic summer, real estate agent Cindy York is ready to relax and enjoy the autumn season with her family. She’s especially looking forward to a second honeymoon vacation with her husband to celebrate their silver anniversary.

But business must come before pleasure. When Cindy sends agent Olivia Lamphere in her place to show a house and the woman turns up dead, she promises her husband to stay out of the investigation. After another agent Cindy knows is murdered, she's forced to break that promise. What is the connection between the two women and why is she receiving threatening notes as well?

Can Cindy discover who’s making the deadly deals before she winds up the next victim?  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Cindy York Mystery series by Catherine Bruns will give you anxiety ... in a good way.  This series is full of so much excitement that you will breeze through reading it and will be shocked when you get to the end ... for two reasons, one because you are at the end already and two for the ending.  Bruns always has nail biting endings !!  

In Killer Commission Cindy and her husband Greg are celebrating their twenty-fixth wedding anniversary and going to go on a cruise.  That is if they can get through the next week .... easy peasy.  Not .....

Cindy gets a call to show a house that she has listed for sale.  She is a realtor at her best friend Jacques' real estate office.  The caller is very insistent, unfortunately both Cindy and Jacques have other obligations so they ask a fairly new co-worker to do.   Later that night Cindy gets a call from a neighbor of the house for sale regarding a car in the driveway. When Cindy goes over to check, she is shocked to find Olivia dead in the car.

Officer Brooks, who is well aware of the trouble that Cindy and Jacques can get into regarding his cases, is adamant that they stay out of it.  They agree until something else happens that makes Cindy realize that she was most likely the intended target ......

Catherine Bruns is one of my favorite authors.  Her books and series are such fun to read.  You can relate to the people (hopefully not the murders), they are people you would love to know and hang out with.  The jobs and careers that they have seem like tons of fun also. And yes she does have a knack with making you want to solve the murders as well.  And with Killer Commission being the seventh book in this series there is a lot to love !!!!

Dying Cry (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Book #10) by Margaret Mizushima

A killer lurks in Colorado’s snowy high country in Dying Cry, the tenth thrilling installment of award-winning author Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 mystery series.

Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker are teaching Cole’s daughters how to snowshoe in a remote canyon when a shattering scream pierces the air. They know that somewhere ahead, someone has been injured or worse. Cole takes the girls while Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon to search for the source of the scream. 

From a distance, Mattie and Robo see a shadowy figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buries the person under layers of stone and shale before they can provide help. Desperate to uncover the individual in case they’re still alive under the rock, their efforts are in vain. The victim is already dead. When they investigate the canyon rim from which the person fell, they discover evidence that indicates the fall was no accident. To make matters worse, the victim was one of Cole’s friends. 

The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, uncovering a trail of greed that leads to a killer who threatens Mattie’s cherished new family and tests her with the most difficult task she’s faced in her duty as a K-9 handler. (Summary via Goodreads)

With ten book in Margaret Mizushima's Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series I am happy to say that I have read most of them, only missing out on a few.  And I can tell you that I am a huge fan, love the characters, the town, the relationships, and the drama and murders !!

Dying Cry, the latest book, starts with main character Mattie spending a weekend with her new husband Cole, his two daughters and their dogs doing wintery activities at a local resort.  Unfortunately their weekend ends with them hearing a scream while snowshoeing and when Mattie goes to see what it was, she notices a human form in the snow.  But before she can get to it a rock avalanche occurs burying the person.

Luckily with help Mattie is able to uncover the person.  But Cole recognizes it as the husband of his veterinary assistant.  Tess is at the resort with her husband Tom who is there for work seminars through his job as manager of the local bank. Tom was supposed to be at a building used for seminars and such a ways away from the cliff he fell from ... which brings up lots of questions for Mattie and her team.

When Tom's death is ruled a homicide, Mattie has to put personal feelings aside and focus on why someone would want to kill Tom.  Cole, being the supportive partner and husband that he is, does whatever he can to help .....

Readers cannot get enough of this series !!  You fall in love with Mattie and her partner Robo and as soon as you start reading one of the books, you cannot help but w
ant a murder to occur so you can see them in action.... knowing it isn't real.  

A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Book # 6) by Jacqueline Frost

Innkeeper Holly White has a lot to be joyful about this season, until an attempted robbery throws the town into suspicion in the sixth installment of the Christmas Tree Farm mysteries from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

As Christmas descends on Mistletoe, Maine, Holly White has an extra gift for the a new baby on the way. Her husband, Sheriff Evan Gray, has been worried about her elevated blood pressure and Holly has agreed to take this year easy. Being idle has never been one of Holly’s gifts, so when Evan surprises her with tickets to the town-wide dinner, she and her many cravings thank him. But when a thief tries and fails to steal an antique ornament from the dinner’s holiday display, it’s clear that someone is on the naughty list. 

The thief manages to escape, but after dinner, Holly spots their lifeless body. It’s clear that someone in town was keen to kill them. Evan is less than jolly to find his wife at the scene of yet another holiday homicide and asks her to promise that she’ll leave the investigating to the police. But Holly has never been one to turn down a challenge and has to get creative with the help of a few of her friends in order to find this killer.

Will she and her friends be able to stop the killer, and uncover the motive behind the attempted robbery, or will the killer strike again and paint the town a bloody red?  (Summary via Goodreads)

The Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series written by Jacqueline Frost is definitely a fall tradition for me .... seeing as the series is published in the fall, it gets you in the Christmas spirit early and adds the extra touch of solving a murder.   A Wonderful Christmas Crime is the sixth book in this series and hopefully you have read all of the previous books and a huge fan as well.  If not I can guarantee you will want to start reading them and catch up.

In A Wonderful Christmas Crime main character Holly and her friends and family are busy with everything Christmas as the family business is centered around the holiday.  Everyone, that is, except for Holly's husband Evan who is the local sheriff.  Fortunately Mistletoe, Maine is usually low with crime .... except for Christmas time it seems.

Holly and pretty much everyone in town is participating in the progressive dinner but when they are at their friends cafe, they witness a fight.  Holly, Libby, Cookie and Caroline decide to go back to the cafe and check on Alice but they end up finding a dead body and Alice with blood on her hands !!

Holly knows that Alice is innocent but Evan has insisted that she sit this investigation out and stay safe.  We all know she will try but she can't help it .....

I would read this series even if there wasn't a murder to solve.  I could hang around the tree farm drinking hot cocoa and playing all the fun games they have scheduled.  And I could shop in Santa's Village and eat at Caroline's cupcake shop and just hang out with everyone !!!    

There is so much to love within this series, there is something for even the pickiest reader to enjoy !!  So grab your copy, a hot beverage and a sugary treat and settle in ......

The Write Way to Die (Murder By the Book Mystery series Book # 1) by Beth Prentice

From USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice comes a brand new series filled with humor, romance, and deadly deceptions...

A writing retreat. A famous author. A deadly fall.

Aspiring novelist Aubrey Jackson never expected her big break to be wrapped in crime scene tape. Invited to an exclusive writer’s retreat hosted by the legendary author Willow Fox, Aubrey was excited to sharpen her plot twists and finally finish her first book. But when Willow is found dead—pushed from a third story window—the peaceful getaway turns into a real-life investigation.

With a retreat full of suspects, and the police pointing the finger at one of her best friends, Aubrey’s instincts kick in. After all, she’s read enough murder mysteries to know this wasn’t an accident! So with her writer buddies, Ellie and Spencer, by her side, she sets out to find a killer!

Only problem? The sharp detective with gorgeous eyes and enough muscles to be on a magazine cover, who has a frustrating determination to arrest the wrong person.

Can Aubrey uncover the truth before the killer writes her off for good? Or will her first big break end in a plot twist she never saw coming?

And don't forget to pick up Aubrey Jackson's debut novella, Murder for Shore!   (Summary via Goodreads)

The Write Way to Die is the first book in the Murder By the Book Mystery series by Beth Prentice and it has a lot to love .... a story that grabs you instantly, a cast of strong characters, one stronger than the other as they are a murderer, a great setting for this first of hopefully many in the series, a story within a story, plus much more !!!

In The Write Way to Die main character Aubrey is going on a weekend writing retreat with her best friend, Elle and another good friend Spencer.  Another good friend of Aubrey and Elle's is co-hosting the event with a popular author that they cannot wait to spend time with and learn from .... unfortunately Willow, the author, is found dead outside and Aubrey is the one to find her !!!

It is soon ruled murder as she was pushed from her third floor room window.  And with the retreat consisting of authors and individuals that want to be authors, everyone is talking and they all have their own ideas.  Except one of them is most likely the murderer so .....

Aubrey is there to work on the story that she is writing, a cozy mystery, so when she can't focus on her writing she wonders about Willow's murder and cannot help but start to do her own investigating.  And Elle and Spencer are just as bad and go along with it all.  Even though Aubrey gets in too deep and the handsome detective is constantly telling her to stop !!

Prentice has a great foundation with this first book in this series.  There is so much to love as I stated already.  And the way that she ends this story, you know you are in for it all and be waiting for the next book ... I know I will be.

Murder For Shore (Saltwater Bay Secrets Mystery novella) by Beth Prentice & Aubrey Jackson

From USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice & Aubrey Jackson, the subject of the "Murder by the Book Mysteries," comes a cozy beachside mystery full of intrigue, danger, and just the right amount of salt in the air!

Daphne Wright thought the biggest challenge at her newly inherited beach house in Saltwater
Bay would be battling the sand in her coffee. But when a human skull washes up with the morning tide, she’s suddenly pulled into a deadly mystery lurking beneath the waves. As secrets bubble to the surface, and the small town’s past proves as treacherous as the shifting sands, Daphne must navigate a tide of lies before the killer strikes again.

Want more Aubrey Jackson? Pick up The Write Way to Die, and learn how she wrote her first novella amidst her own real-life mystery!  (Summary via Goodreads)

Murder For Shore may be a novella but it reads like a full length novel.  You get a glimpse of Murder For Shore when you read The Write Way to Die which is the first book in the Murder By the Book Mystery series.  But you don't have to read it because you get all of it in the novella but it is neat to see it unfold in the main characters mind.

In Murder For Shore main character Daphne returns to Saltwater Bay when she inherits the beach shack that her grandmother leaves her.  Before she even gets to unlock the door her neighbor comes over and shows her the human skull that washed up in the recent storm.  The head is soon identified and Daphne decides to look into the case when it is determined that the person was murdered and he apparently had dated her grandmother.  

Unfortunately Daphne is going to uncover some things that people in town may not want uncovered and she may be in way over her head ....

Author Beth Prentice will have you invested as soon as you start reading and you will be glad it's a novella so you can read it in one sitting because as soon as you start reading, you will want to find out what happens.

Murder at the Moulin Rouge (A Blackwell & Watson Time-Travel Mystery Book # 5) by Carol Pouliot

Paris, 1895. When a cancan dancer at the Moulin Rouge falls to her death from the top of one of Montmartre’s highest staircases, the police dismiss it as an accident. But, Madeleine was one of Toulouse-Lautrec’s favorite models, and the artist is certain she was murdered. Enter Depression-era detective Steven Blackwell and 21st-century journalist Olivia Watson who travel back in time to Paris to hunt down the killer. Before long, they learn that a second dancer—a ballerina and favorite model of painter Edgar Degas—has died. Two dancers dead in two weeks. Two artists grieving. Is the killer targeting young dancers, or, does this case involve the enigmatic Paris art world?

From the moment Steven and Olivia arrive, Steven is out of his element. The small-town cop has no idea what techniques the French police use in 1895. Worse, he has no official status to investigate murder in one of the world’s largest cities. The sleuths soon discover disturbing secrets at the Paris Ballet. And when Olivia insists on going undercover to visit a suspect’s house alone, Steven fears he’s made the biggest mistake of his life.

Travel back in time with Steven and Olivia, as they enter the back-stabbing world of dance in one of the world’s greatest cities. Murder at the Moulin Rouge is their most daring and dangerous case to date.   (Summary via Goodreads)

I am a huge fan of time traveling books, I think they are so fun and when you add a murder to solve with a touch of romance, I'm totally 100% in !!  And author Carol Pouliot does it perfectly with her Blackwell & Watson Time-Travel Mystery series.

Steven Blackwell is a detective in the early 1930's while Olivia Watson is a journalist/researcher small business owner in 2015.  They are able to time travel between times by walking over the threshold in a bedroom in the house they both own in their timeframe.  They are able to venture out together in both timeframes and Olivia helps Steven with his murder cases.

In the fifth book in the series, Murder at the Moulin Rouge, they are going to go way out of their comfort zones when Steven's deceased mother knocks on his door .... and she is a lot younger.  A friend of her's in Paris in the year 1895 needs help.  A dear friend of his has died, the case was ruled an accident but Henri knows it wasn't.

Before they can even comes to terms with the fact that Steven's mother can time travel as well, they agree to go to 1895 Paris and try to investigate and help Henri.  Obviously this is going to be the toughest case they have ever worked on .... what do they know about the year 1895 other than what they may have learned in history class ?  That doesn't stop them from diving in head first, working with the local detective, meeting very interesting people and spending time with Steven's mother ... which isn't wierd at all !!!

I'll admit Murder at the Moulin Rouge is not my favorite book in this series.  I love spending time with Steven and Olivia no matter where and when they are but I wasn't a fan of Paris. The storyline was captivating and interesting and I was glad they solved the case and were able to return to their own timeframes.  I also now know that in future books I will not be surprised wherever they end up traveling to .... looks like nothing is off limits for this duo and I look forward to the next book to see where they go and who they meet.