MURDER AT THE TAFFY SHOP by Maddie Day

Publisher:      ‎ Kensington
Published:      March 30, 2021
ISBN:      ‎ 978-1496731692
Genre:     Cozy Mystery  
Format:     Print from Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FOUR HEARTS

Summer is winding down in Cape Cod and tourists are taking their last vacations. Many of finding their way to Mac’s Bikes to rent a bike and pedal around enjoying the town.  Mac is thrilled with how well business is going and that peace has descended on the town after being involved in a murder investigation just a few months ago. While visiting her parents their dog gets out and nasty neighbour, Beverly Ruchart returns the pup. She doesn’t just bring the dog over. She has some of her usual nastiness to share.  on. A day later Beverly shows up at Mac’s shop to have her bicycle tuned up and while she’s there Mac sees another side of the grouchy woman as she speaks with Mac’s employee, Orlean. As different people pass through the shop it seems most don’t have anything nice to say about Beverly, but when Mac’s friend Gin finds the woman dead it’s hard to feel anything but sad for the woman. With Gin being the one to find the body it isn’t long before Mac’s friend is suspect number one. Despite their promise not to get involved in another murder investigation, Mac’s book group, the Cozy Capers, soon find themselves in the middle of another investigation. 

Maddie Day’s Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries is becoming one of my favorite series. The idea of mystery book club members solving crimes is a fun one. I appreciate how Day intersperses what the members, as well as other characters, are reading through the story. It’s turned me on to a few authors I haven’t read before.

Mac is a terrific protag – she’s smart, practical and has common sense. She really tries to do the right thing. She’s loyal to her friends and is able to see the other side of people—like Beverly. The cozy capers book club has some interesting characters and the diversity of their backgrounds adds some nice elements to the story. Her Abo Rita is a fun character but my absolute favorite is Belle.  The scenes with Belle and Alexa are classic.

There were points in this one that bordered on women’s fiction and the angst that too many of them have.  I could have done without all the ruminating about Mac’s relationship with Tim and how she may not want children.

I’m looking forward to the next entry into this fun series.  Recipes for some of the dishes, like the parmesan polenta disks, are included.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.