Last Dance (Sharyn Howard Mystery #1) by Joyce & Jim Lavene

When the prom queen is found brutally murdered, Sheriff Sharyn Howard recalls that a similar murder occured on the night of her prom ten years ago. her father was the sheriff of Diamond Springs and the man he sent to prison for the murder now sits on death row awaiting his execution. But, Sharyn's convinced there are too many similarities between the two murders and that the true killer is still at large.  (summary via Goodreads)


Sharon Howard takes over being Sheriff of Diamond Springs, a position held by her father and grandfather.  When a student is found dead in the school parking lot the morning after the prom, the Sheriff cannot help but notice similarities to a case from 10 years ago when her father was Sheriff.

Throughout the investigation Sharon cannot shake the feeling that they are missing things and things just don't add up.  Against everybody's advice, she reopens the 10 year old case of  Leila Bentley's death even though a man is on death row charged with her murder.  With the help of the coroner, Nick, they convince the others that it is worth looking into.  Even when they pick up an employee from the school for the murder of Carrie Sommers, the Sheriff is still not convinced.

You will LOVE this book,  The story is well written and captivates you as soon as you begin reading it.  You will keep like you are a resident of Diamond Springs who wants justice for the 2 murders.

Review by Missi S.

Book Review: To Helvectica and Back (A Dangerous Type Mystery #1) by Paige Shelton

Star City is known for its slopes and its powder. But nestled in the valley of this ski resort town is a side street full of shops that specialize in the simple charms of earlier eras. One of those shops is the Rescued Word, where Chester Henry and his adult granddaughter Clare lovingly repair old typewriters and restore old books. Who ever thought their quaint store would hold the key to some modern-day trouble? 

When a stranger to town demands they turn over an antique Underwood typewriter they’re repairing for a customer, Clare fears she may need to be rescued. A call to the police scares the man off, but later Clare finds his dead body in the back alley. What about a dusty old typewriter could possibly be worth killing for? [summary via Amazon]

In Paige Shelton's new series she introduces her readers to a new cozy today, with its own eclectic residents and a mystery that will confound even the most seasoned mystery reader!

In Star City, Clare works side-by-side with her grandfather, Chester Henry, helping repair typewriters in his store, The Rescued Word. It's a interesting job, especially as Chester has built up the business to include book repair, printing presses and selling beautiful stationery. Clare enjoys her job, but when a mysterious, difficult stranger appears in the store and demands he sell her the Underwood typewriter she is repairing for a long-time customer, things start get interesting. They take a turn for the worse when the strange man ends up dead - in the alley behind her grandfather's shop!! Like any good amateur sleuth, it's time to solve a mystery!!

I was captivated with this story from the first page to the last. I've enjoyed every mystery I've read by Paige Shelton. She has the ability to write a fantastic story, that draws readers in, ensuring they abandon housework (who wants a perfect house anyway?) just so that you can find out who the murderer is. She definitely did just that with To Helvectica and Back. 

The mystery was interesting, and I enjoyed trying to solve it alongside Clare. However, I found The Rescued Word as equally fascinating, adding to my overall enjoyment of the book. Beyond the typewriters, they also repair books.Clare is asked to repair a page in a early edition of  a Tom Sawyer book and I found the process she undergoes really fascinating. This one book leads her to meet geologist named Sean, who Clare ends up going on a date with!

Paige Shelton has hit it out of the park with her first book in the Dangerous Type Mysteries. A cute, cozy town, a tantalizing mystery and a little romance thrown in, makes me eager to return to Star City again for another mystery.

Purchase at Amazon.

Baked to Death (Cookies & Chance Mystery #2) by Catherine Bruns

Baker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio’s, finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. She’s in love with a great guy, her bakery is thriving, and now she and her best friend Josie Sullivan are gearing up to appear on the popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades. But a visit from Sal’s greedy ex-husband Colin, who's looking to cash in on the bakery’s dough, changes everything. Within a few hours Sal’s world—like the shop’s original fortune cookies—is broken apart when Colin turns up dead, and her boyfriend’s arrested for the crime. Now Sal’s mixing it up with vengeful ex-inlaws, a suspicious new employee, slippery baking competitors, and a greasy mobster who’ll stop at nothing to collect on Colin’s unpaid debt. Can Sal prove her man is innocent in time? Or is she about to get baked herself?  (Summary via Goodreads)

I cannot say enough good things about Catherine Bruns and her Cookies & Chance Mystery series.  Baked to Death is the 2nd book in this series and its even better  than the first book, Tastes Like Murder.  
Things are going pretty good in Sally's life. Her bakery is doing well, the bakery is in a baking competition in Florida, she is finally divorced from her lowlife husband, Colin and she is with the man she is suppose to be with, her high school sweetheart.  Everything is going smoothly until Colin shows up in town demanding money, gets in a bar fight and is found dead the next morning.  After the police arrest Sally's boyfriend, she will do anything to clear his name.  She even does some snooping around when her and Josie are in Florida competiting in the bakery contest.  The only thing Sally walks away with is that Colin had a lot of enemies and cheated on everyone, not just her.  
To really appreciate the story you really need to sit down in a comfy chair and get lost in the book.  Catherine will have you reading faster than you ever thought you could read, you will be sitting up straighter as you get towards the end as things unfold, and you won't be paying attention to anything around you as the killer gets closer......
And if you're not sure about this series yet, the LAST line of the book will make your decision for you ! ! 

Review by Missi



 I couldn't put Baked To Death down. I love how this series is progressing. This book moves at the perfect pace to get to know all of the characters and each of the lives they lead.
This book starts out with Sal in a great place in her life. Her bakery is becoming the place to go for the best cookies. She is finally getting her love life in order, maybe she has to decide between two great guys and maybe a third??? And she and Josie have been selected to be contestants on "Cookie Crusades" that is filmed in Florida with a grand prize of $20,000. This would be awesome for business and possibly help expand. 
This is where the clock strikes midnight on the Cinderella story for Sal! Her ex husband Colin shows up drunk demanding half of her bakery, they get bambozuled by a new hire that turns out to be a spy! Then Sal takes out Josie and her hubby to celebrate Josie's birthday and Colin shows up. He ends up trying to hurt Sal! If all this isn't enough to make your head spin Colin ends up murdered. Yikes!!! What is Sal going to do? She has to find a way to clean up Colin's mess with the mob before she becomes the next victim.
The more I read this series the more I fall in love with the characters. They are so down to earth and believable. We all have a Josie in our lives and hopefully a Handsome man. All this being said I have to admit my favorite character is Grandma Rosa. She totally rocks! She is not only wise but she is hilarious. I almost think she has a gift for fortune telling that the family doesn't know about. She gives the perfect advice at the perfect time. Just like the Fortune Cookies??? I am eager to watch if and when Sal let's go of the past and starts to live again.

Review by Penny M.

Chocolat Chaud Murder (A Patisserie Mystery with Recipes Book 9) by Harper Lin

Not only is it the busy Christmas season in Paris, but Clemence Damour has a wedding to plan. When she goes wedding dress shopping at La Belle, a small boutique in the 6th arrondissement, the dress designer is found dead. Inspector Cyril St. Clair thinks it is the designer’s ex-boyfriend, but as usual, he’s wrong. 

Can Clemence find the murderer and the perfect wedding dress, as well as create new holiday-inspired French desserts for the family patisseries? 

Chocolat Chaud Murder is the 9th book (approximately 23k novella) in a culinary cozy mystery series set in France, featuring delicious recipes of French pastries and desserts.  (Summary via Goodreads)

This is the 9th book in the Patisserie Mystery series. I have loved everyone of them. What is not to love, you have murder,mystery,romance, and the most important chocolate! 
The city of love, Paris is an amazing place full of romance. So it comes as a surprise to Clemence, who is looking for the perfect wedding dress at the famous La Belle to find one of the owners dead. Actually, murdered in her own apartment over the store. Perrie, Adine's assistant and Clemence call the police and her favorite detective,NOT!!! Cyril shows up. First thing he does is start accusing Clemence and her family's business, Damour as cursed because there have been products from their company at all the murders. Ridiculous or is it??? Now not only is Clemence placed in the middle of another murder she has a wedding dress to find, a wedding to plan and Christmas coming. Yikes! 
I love all of the characters in these books and can't wait for the next book in the series.

Review by Penny M.

Book Review: Champagne Murder (Frosted Love Cozy Mystery, #27) by Summer Prescott

Whenever Bed and Breakfast and cupcake shop owner Melissa Gladstone meets someone new, trouble always seems to follow. In this tale of life in sleepy Calgon, Florida, our heroine never dreams that a chance encounter with a sweet, elderly woman will lead to a whirlwind of mayhem and murder.[Summary via Amazon]

In my first story by Summer Prescott I visited Calgon, Florida and met Missy, and her best friends, Echo and Kel, and I was tantalized by both the mouth-watering cupcakes and the thrilling mystery!

This story was shorter than a full length novel, but don't let that put you off. The writer packs a powerful punch of mystery, mayhem and small town charm into it. I enjoyed meeting the characters, and trying to solve the mystery immensely. After finishing I was left wanting more, and I'm glad to see that this is the 27th book in her series. I have plenty more adventures to read. 

If you're looking for a great mystery to warm up your January, check out this series!

Book Giveaway -- Catherine Bruns - Baked To Death

I will be meeting and interviewing local author Catherine Bruns Writer on Tuesday ! ! Her 2nd book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series, Baked To Death, will be released on January 19th. But you can win it before then by simply sending me a question that you would like me to ask her during the interview. 

By doing that your name will go into the drawing and a name will be picked randomly. But you have to think of a question to ask and get it to me NOW ! ! 

I highly recommend looking into her books....
Baked to Death is the 2nd book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery Series.  It follows Taste Like Murder.  And she also has Killer Transaction, A Cindy York Mystery.
           
                                                   

About Catherine Bruns.... She has lived in Upstate New York, her entire life. Her brood consists of a male dominated household: husband, three sons, and several cats and dogs. She holds a B.A. in English and Performing Arts and is a former newspaper reporter and press release writer. When not writing and has spare time, she enjoys traveling, shopping, and of course, a good book.

Check her out at  :  http://catherinebruns.net/Books/books.html




  

Dog Collar Crime (Lucie Rizzo Mystery, #1) by Adrienne Giordano

Out of work and down on her luck, Lucie Rizzo is forced to do the one thing she’s long avoided—move home to her nutty, mob-infested family. A move that brings her back into the tempting arms of Frankie Falcone, the ex that never fails to make her heart sit up and beg.

When Lucie parlays her temporary dog-walking gig into a career making fancy dog accessories, Frankie becomes her number one supporter. Life starts to look like a walk in the park…until three of her bling-wearing clients are dogjacked. 

Despite help from the on-again, off-again Mr. Fix-It in her life, Lucie is thrown into an investigation that’s more Goodfellas than good doggie. One that could shatter her new life and her second chance at love.  (Summary via Goodreads)

What a great fast paced book. I love reading Adrienne Giordano. They never disappoint! 
Poor Lucie, she looses her job and has to move back home. She has been trying to distance herself from all of her family's mob entanglements. Guess that is hard considering she is the daughter of a mob boss. Yikes! Coming back home has thrown her back into the thick of things. Lucie's old boyfriend is determined to get her back. He has a strike against him though since he is also involved with the mob. Frankie and Lucie's relationship is true despite the on again off again. Now if Frankie can just get Lucie on the same page it would be great. Loved their relationship up and downs as well as the love/hate relationship between Lucie and her brother Joey. 
Lucie is trying to get her life back on track with her dog walking/ fancy dog accessories business. Things are going ok until she finds a diamond in her attic is connected to a dognapping. What is Lucie going to do? She is a strong woman and doesn't want to ask for help but she also doesn't want to let a dognapper to get away. She may have bitten off more than she can chew! 
I loved this book. It has everything from mystery and suspense to romance and family relationships. I would recommend this book to all of those cozy romantics out there.

Review by Penny M.